shadow cabinet

She had been one of a few party centrists to stay in the shadow cabinet when Jeremy Corbyn, who came from the left of the party, unexpectedly became Labour leader.

The main hall has not been full for speeches by members of the shadow cabinet but Badenoch said her own speech had been "standing room only".

She served in Sir Keir Starmer's shadow cabinet before the general election and expected to be offered a cabinet job in his government after Labour had won.

Backbench MP Barry Gardiner, a former member of Corbyn's shadow cabinet who had been floated by some on the left of the party as a potential candidate, has also said he will not stand.

In 2021, at the lowest ebb of Sir Keir's leadership, she was brought into the shadow cabinet to take charge of Labour's election campaign infrastructure.