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York MP promoted to shadow cabinet by Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn

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Rachael Maskell is one of the beneficiaries of the turmoil in the party

Rachael Maskell is one of the beneficiaries of the turmoil in the Labour Party.

The York Central MP was promoted to the shadow cabinet on Monday (June 27) by Jeremy Corbyn.

In the reshuffle forced by mass resignations over the last 24 hours, the Labour leader appointed Ms Maskell as shadow environment food and rural affairs secretary.

That is a promotion from her previous role as shadow defence minister. Ms Maskell replaces Clive Lewis who has been appointed shadow defence secretary.

The role was left vacant after nearly half the shadow cabinet resigned in protest at the perceived failure of Mr Corbyn to show leadership in the Remain campaign for the EU Referendum

And the appointment comes a day after Ms Maskell said she was stay loyal to Mr Corbyn.

She told the York Press: “I believe now is the time to focus on the issues involved. I’m going to Westminster on Monday to talk about how to bring greater stability at this time.”

Ms Maskell, who was elected to Parliament in last May’s General Election, will now shadow the Liz Truss, the environment, food and rural affairs secretary in David Cameron’s cabinet.

Part of her brief will be the response to last year’s floods. Ms Maskell has tackled Ms Truss on this issue before, and the pair were both at a Downing Street reception for flood volunteers in March.

Ms Maskell said:

This is a difficult time for the country as we are currently being plunged into a constitutional, economic and diplomatic crisis, and my job now is to make sure that this does not develop into a crisis for our agricultural and fishing industries.

We are in a time of uncertainty and instability and I will work to limit any negative effect that withdrawal from the European Union could have and get the best out of the negotiations for the UK.

I am hoping to meet with representatives from the industries shortly and will work with them to make sure their interests and that of the rest of the UK are best served.