Ms Long-Bailey, who came third in the leadership election, replaces Angela Rayner, who was elected deputy leader of the party over the weekend.
On Twitter, the MP for Salford and Eccles, said, ‘Delighted to be appointed as Shadow Education Secretary by @Keir_Starmer & thanks to the brilliant @AngelaRayner for her work in this role. In this time of crisis I will do my utmost to ensure that our teaching staff, students and their families receive the support they deserve.
‘Never has there been a more important time to fight for a properly funded, accountable, public education service, free at the point of use, from cradle to grave so that all our aspirations can be realised. Social mobility is meaningless if we don’t all rise together.’
Appointing his shadow cabinet, Keir Starmer, who won 56 per cent of the vote in the leadership election on Saturday, said, ‘I’m proud to have appointed a shadow cabinet that showcases the breadth, depth and talents of the Labour party.
‘This is a new team that will be relentlessly focused on acting in the national interest to respond to the coronavirus pandemic and rebuilding Labour so that it can win the next election.’
Comments
Teaching unions welcomed Ms Long-Bailey to the role.
Kevin Courtney, joint general secretary of the National Education Union, said, ‘Congratulations to Rebecca Long-Bailey on being appointed as Shadow Education Secretary. At this time of national crisis it will be important for the official opposition to work with the Government and to hold Ministers to account to ensure that education professionals and children and young people are protected in these immensely difficult times.
'We look forward to working with the Shadow Education Secretary and politicians from across the political spectrum on fashioning the type of education service that will be fit for the twenty first century and after Covid-19. We can't go back to an "exam factories" view of education, with schools and colleges reeling from cut after cut, teachers, leaders and support staff feeling undervalued and the life chances of over 4 million children blighted by their being trapped in poverty.’
Paul Whiteman, general secretary of NAHT, which represents leaders in the majority of schools, said, ‘We congratulate Rebecca Long-Bailey on her appointment to shadow education secretary; in our opinion it is the best job in the shadow cabinet. Congratulations are also due to Angela Rayner on her election to deputy Labour leader.
‘We are pleased to see two formidable female politicians on Labour’s front bench and we would like to see them keeping education at the top of the national agenda. Currently, NAHT’s members are focused on playing their part in the UK response to Covid-19 and supporting learners at this most uncertain time. Education will also be central to the mission of rebuilding the nation once this crisis is over.’
Shadow cabinet in full
· Keir Starmer, Leader of the Opposition
· Angela Rayner, Deputy Leader and Chair of the Labour party
· Anneliese Dodds, Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer
· Lisa Nandy, Shadow Foreign Secretary
· Nick Thomas-Symonds, Shadow Home Secretary
· Rachel Reeves, Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
· David Lammy, Shadow Justice Secretary
· John Healey, Shadow Defence Secretary
· Ed Miliband, Shadow Business, Energy and Industrial Secretary
· Emily Thornberry, Shadow International Trade Secretary
· Jonathan Reynolds, Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary
· Jonathan Ashworth, Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
· Rebecca Long-Bailey, Shadow Education Secretary
· Jo Stevens, Shadow Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
· Bridget Phillipson, Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury
· Luke Pollard, Shadow Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Secretary
· Steve Reed, Shadow Communities and Local Government Secretary
· Thangam Debbonaire, Shadow Housing Secretary
· Jim McMahon, Shadow Transport Secretary
· Preet Kaur Gill, Shadow International Development Secretary
· Louise Haigh, Shadow Northern Ireland Secretary (interim)
· Ian Murray, Shadow Scotland Secretary
· Nia Griffith, Shadow Wales Secretary
· Marsha de Cordova, Shadow Women and Equalities Secretary
· Andy McDonald, Shadow Employment Rights and Protections Secretary
· Rosena Allin-Khan, Shadow Minister for Mental Health
· Cat Smith, Shadow Minister for Young People and Voter Engagement
· Lord Falconer, Shadow Attorney General
· Valerie Vaz, Shadow Leader of the House
· Nick Brown, Opposition Chief Whip
· Baroness Smith, Shadow Leader of the Lords
· Lord McAvoy, Lords’ Opposition Chief Whip
