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Kennedy shakes up top team
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| Lib Dems: New front bench |
Charles Kennedy has announced a new line-up on the Liberal Democrat frontbench.
The third party leader shook up his team on Monday following an expansion of his parliamentary team from 55 to 62 seats at the general election.
There were few major changes, with the positions of Treasury spokesman Vince Cable, deputy leader and foreign affairs spokesman Sir Menzies Campbell and home affairs spokesman Mark Oaten all unaltered.
However among the next rung of spokesmen there were wider changes, with most attention set to focus on the roles given to the party's modernising wing which wants to shift the Lib Dems to the right and a series of promotions for young MPs.
Of these figures David Laws moves up from Treasury team number two to work and pensions spokesman while rising star and new MP Chris Huhne took his old job.
Public service policy
Pensions spokesman Steve Webb, one of the party's intellectual powerhouses, moves to the health brief where he will try to define a tighter Lib Dem NHS policy, which was seen in the election as being unclear.
Former health and education spokesmen Paul Burstow and Phil Willis step down from the frontbench, with Willis' role taken by Ed Davey.
Davey moves from the local government brief, where his local income tax policy has come under attack.
That job is now divided between party president Simon Hughes and Brent East by-election winner Sarah Teather.
North Norfolk MP Norman Lamb, who has asked a number of probing questions of the government from the backbenches, takes the trade and industry brief from veteran Malcolm Bruce, who is also standing down.
Youth
Youth also got its chance in the form of Tom Brake, who becomes transport spokesman, while Andrew George will speak on international development, Michael Moore on defence and former MEP Nick Clegg on foreign affairs.
The party's self-styled "shadow Cabinet" was also reduced in size from 25 to 21 members.
Kennedy said: "I am delighted to confirm this new set of appointments, consisting of the parliamentary team which will take us forward into this new parliament.
"Following our excellent general election result on the 5th of May we have brought together a superb team of individuals, combining experience with youth.
"I am confident that we will continue to provide a real alternative to the Labour government as the new parliamentary session gets underway."
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