Kemi Badenoch has reshuffled her shadow cabinet ahead of parliament’s return on Tuesday, with Andrew Griffith replacing Sir Mel Stride as shadow chancellor.
Griffith, previously serving as shadow business secretary, will now lead economics policy for the Conservative Party moving forward.
The reshuffle reflects a desire to change the party’s approach on growth, living standards and credibility, according to a Conservative source familiar with the decision.
A Conservative source acknowledged that Stride brought “seriousness and stability” although Griffith had “an incredibly impressive financial and business background” as the former chief operating officer at Sky.
“Andrew and Kemi are in complete lockstep on how we back business, bring down taxes and regulation and get Britain working again,” the source added.
Claire Coutinho has moved from her shadow energy secretary brief to take on the business portfolio, acting as Griffith’s “deputy across the economic brief.”
Julia Lopez, previously shadow technology secretary, will cover for Coutinho while she is on maternity leave until the end of the year.
Richard Fuller will remain in post as shadow chief secretary to the Treasury, providing continuity within the economic team during the transition.
Stride, for his part, said it was an “honour” to serve in Badenoch’s shadow cabinet, offering a measured response to his removal from the role.
Tom Tugendhat was also handed a promotion on Monday, appointed to Badenoch’s top team as shadow foreign secretary, having previously served as security minister between 2022 and 2024.
Former Home Secretary Priti Patel will be demoted as she moves into an “international role” focused on building alliances between the Conservatives and other centre-right parties across the world.
Patel said her new position would give her “greater freedom” to represent her Witham constituency, while Badenoch praised her as “exceptionally loyal, hard-working and supportive during a very difficult period for the party.”
A source close to Badenoch revealed that Tugendhat received the “good news” of his promotion while he was in talks with Taiwanese officials about threats posed by China.
Tugendhat has long been a vocal critic of governments in Russia, Iran and China, and previously argued that a parliamentary spy scandal showed Britain risked losing its ability to defend its own interests.
The wider reshuffle was triggered by James Cleverly’s resignation on Saturday night, when he announced his intention to stand as a candidate for London mayor, vacating his shadow housing and communities brief.
Stuart Andrew, the shadow health secretary, was also confirmed on Monday to be leaving his post, deepening the scale of the frontbench changes.
The Conservative shake-up comes at a politically sensitive moment, with City AM and Freshwater Strategy polling showing the party level with Labour on 23 per cent of the vote share, compared to 26 per cent for Reform UK.
Badenoch herself holds a net approval rating of four, making her one of the more popular senior politicians, compared to ratings of -20 for Nigel Farage and 12 for Andy Burnham.
It has been reported that Badenoch has written to Cabinet Secretary Antonia Romeo seeking early access talks with Whitehall officials ahead of a potential election.
Some political strategists have predicted that Burnham could call an election within months in a bid to shore up his political mandate.