Thornberry ‘surprised’ by Starmer Cabinet snub

Daniel Martin

8 July 2024 at 6:06 am·2-min read

Emily Thornberry has said she is “sorry and surprised” to have been snubbed after being left out of Sir Keir Starmer’s Cabinet.

The former shadow attorney general did not receive a role in the new Government on Friday, with the job instead handed to Richard Hermer, a lawyer from outside Parliament.

In a post on X, formerly Twitter, she revealed she was not taking up another role in the Cabinet.

Thanks to everyone who has been in touch asking about my own future in the new Labour government. Here is my statement 👇🏽 pic.twitter.com/dRlW0RaW1D
— Emily Thornberry (@EmilyThornberry) July 8, 2024

The announcement came as Sir Keir Starmer announced a raft of ministerial appointments.

Bridget Phillipson has been appointed as the women and equalities minister, days after being unable to say in a radio interview whether biological males should be able to use a women’s toilet.

Downing Street released a further list of appointments, which also revealed that Annaliese Dodds has been made minister for aid. She will attend Cabinet despite not being of secretary of state rank.

Stephen Kinnock leaves the immigration brief he held in opposition to become a minister in the Department of Health.

Dame Diane Johnson and Angela Eagle have been given senior jobs in the Home Office. Nick Thomas–Symonds will be minister for the constitution and European relations, while former MP Lord Vernon Coaker is a minister in the Ministry of Defence.

In 2014, Ms Thornberry was sacked by Ed Miliband after tweeting a picture of a house adorned with three St George’s flags and the owner’s white van parked outside in the driveway.

She captioned it “Image from #Rochester”, where Labour was fighting a by-election at the time.

Speaking to reporters in Wales, Sir Keir said: “I’m putting together a very strong team based on delivering.

“We got a very strong mandate at the general election, a mandate for change, a mandate for doing politics differently, and about service. That’s why I’m putting my team together.

“Emily Thornberry has been fantastic – she’s got a big part to play, as has every single one of my now 412 Labour MPs.”

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