Rishi Sunak Unveils New Shadow Cabinet Amid Conservative Party Turmoil

British opposition leader Rishi Sunak announced his new shadow cabinet on Monday, following the Conservative Party's historic election loss. Key figures such as Andrew Mitchell and James Cleverly retained significant roles, while former Foreign Secretary David Cameron resigned. Labour's Keir Starmer took over as the new Prime Minister.

British opposition leader Rishi Sunak set the stage on Monday with his newly formed shadow cabinet, placing some senior ministers back in roles they held prior to the recent parliamentary elections. The cabinet shake-up follows the Conservative Party's historic defeat, which saw numerous ministers, including former Foreign Secretary David Cameron, lose their seats.

Andrew Mitchell was appointed to manage the foreign policy brief in the interim shadow cabinet, mirroring the structure of the government cabinet. The Conservative Party's loss, described as historic, was underscored by the departure of former Defence Secretary Grant Shapps and others.

Former Prime Minister Sunak accepted responsibility for the defeat in his resignation speech, with Labour's Keir Starmer stepping in as the new leader on Friday. Richard Holden, narrowly retaining his seat by 20 votes, also resigned as Conservative Party Chairman, calling for a comprehensive review of the election campaign.

In his resignation letter, Holden emphasized the need for new perspectives for a clearer evaluation. The shadow cabinet's composition includes James Cleverly at the home office, James Cartlidge handling defense, and Chris Philp taking over the House of Commons leadership. The reshuffling also saw Kemi Badenoch become minister for 'levelling up', while Jeremy Hunt continues with the finance brief and Oliver Dowden was appointed deputy leader of the opposition.

Reflecting on the election results, new interim Chairman Richard Fuller called for a candid and deep challenge to the party's strengths and areas that need improvement. The party aims to regroup and use these evaluations to build a stronger future.

(With inputs from agencies.)