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Kemi Badenoch has surprised Westminster by announcing that three of her previous leadership rivals have been appointed to some of the most important frontbench roles in her new Tory shadow
cabinet. The newly-victorious Kemi Badenochhas started unveiling her shadow cabinet ahead of its first meeting on Tuesday. This afternoon she appointed three Tory big beasts to her top team,
creating a notable push for both government experience and a desire to bring all factions of the party together. The most notable appointment came as Robert Jenrick, who lost out on the
Tory crown by 12,000 this weekend, accepted the job of shadow Justice Secretary, with a key role in taking on Labour's early release policy and pushing forward his anti-ECHR criticism.
Former Work and Pensions Secretary Mel Stride nabbed shadow Chancellor - a role he's wanted for a long time - while former Home Secretary Priti Patel will face off against David Lammy
as shadow Foreign Secretary. Both ran against Ms Badenoch in the Tory leadership race, suggesting the new leader holds no grudges. Reacting to the appointments, a Tory source described both
as experienced MPs, were candidates in the recent leadership contest, and represent different wings of the Conservative Party - demonstrating Kemi's desire to unite the party. The new
Tory leader named former minister Laura Trott as shadow education secretary in her first major opposition front bench appointment. Ms Trott will be joined by Neil O'Brien as a shadow
education minister. Both will be on the opposition front bench for education oral questions in the Commons this afternoon. It was reported yesterday that Essex MP Dame Rebecca Harris would
become the party's new chief whip, while Nigel Huddleston and Lord Dominic Johnson have been made joint chairmen. Other figures that are thought to be in contention for top jobs include
former Treasury minister Andrew Griffith who has been tipped to be in line for the shadow chancellor job. Former energy security secretary Claire Coutinho and interim shadow culture
secretary Julia Lopez are also other potential frontbenchers. While rumours abound that popular red wall Tory and Tees Valley mayor Ben Houchen is set to be offered deputy leader, no such
request has yet been made. Ms Badenoch is expected to name her full shadow cabinet team ahead of their first meeting on Tuesday. She visited the Conservative Campaign Headquarters in
Westminster this morning as she is in the process of deciding who will be in her top team. In an address to staff, Ms Badenoch said the first challenge for the party will be winning back
council seats at local elections. She is also understood to have said the party can turn their situation around in one term and that policy will come soon, but the party needs to start with
principles such as freedom of speech and personal responsibility. The announcement of the new shadow cabinet follows Ms Badenoch's victory over former immigration minister Robert
Jenrick in the Tory leadership race on Saturday.