Conservative reshuffle: who’s who in Kemi Badenoch’s top team?

Kemi Badenoch has reshaped the Conservative opposition team, removing her shadow chancellor and bringing in figures with contrasting political profiles as Parliament returns.

Andrew Griffith, the MP for Arundel and South Downs, replaced Mel Stride as shadow chancellor. Griffith had backed Badenoch’s leadership bid in 2024 and previously worked as Sky’s chief financial officer and chief operating officer before becoming chair of Just Eat.

His political record includes service as a Treasury minister under Liz Truss during the period of the mini-budget that triggered severe market turmoil. Griffith defended the budget at the time, attributing the upheaval to global events. He later attended the launch of a climate denial group with Truss and Nigel Farage, saying that attending outside events did not automatically mean he endorsed them. He also recently spoke at a hard-right CPAC event organized by Truss.

Claire Coutinho, viewed by colleagues as a rising Conservative figure, moved to Badenoch’s economic team and became shadow business secretary. She previously worked in investment banking at Merrill Lynch and KPMG and challenged Labour over energy bills. Colleagues describe her as forensic, while she has researched what she calls the hidden cost of net zero and spoken in Parliament on behalf of whistleblowers at the national energy systems operator. Julia Lopez will cover her responsibilities while she takes maternity leave.

Tom Tugendhat’s appointment as shadow foreign secretary stood out because Badenoch has sought to remove more moderate MPs from the party’s future election ranks. Tugendhat, a former army officer, replaced Priti Patel, who left the shadow cabinet. The reshuffle is intended to strengthen the Conservatives’ challenge to Labour and Reform UK.

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In any year, I attend hundreds of external events with business organisations and thinktanks, none of which automatically imply my endorsement.