Kemi gets Tories battle ready with ruthless reshuffle: Shadow Chancellor sacked amid speculation over early election

Kemi Badenoch has launched a bold overhaul of her top team as the Tories get battle-ready for a general election.As Andy Burnham returns to Westminster today to face MPs for the first time since he became Prime Minister, the Conservative leader announced a significant shake-up of her Shadow Cabinet.Mrs Badenoch has sacked Shadow Chancellor Sir Mel Stride, with former Treasury minister Andrew Griffith promoted into the role.Dame Priti Patel, who served in Boris Johnson's Cabinet, was moved from Shadow Foreign Secretary into a new 'international' role, with Tom Tugendhat replacing her.Mr Burnham - who jetted off on holiday days after being handed the keys to Downing Street - returns to a grim economic picture, with the cost of paying government debt at its highest level in nearly three decades.While the PM is bound by Labour's manifesto commitment not to increase the main rates of income tax, VAT or National Insurance, allies have called on him to raise capital gains tax, a levy on the sale of assets. Mrs Badenoch said Labour's manifesto blocked the PM from putting up 'the taxes he wishes to pursue his agenda', and warned he could call a snap election.In an attempt to bolster the Tories' economic credibility ahead of a public vote, Mrs Badenoch has established a Conservative Economic Unit which will focus the party on promoting growth and fiscal discipline as Labour resorts to more tax-and-spend policies. Kemi Badenoch has launched a bold overhaul of her top team as the Tories get battle-ready for a general election (file image) Mrs Badenoch has sacked Shadow Chancellor Sir Mel Stride (right), with former Treasury minister Andrew Griffith promoted into the role (file image)She has also moved rising star Claire Coutinho from energy into the business brief, and she will act as Mr Griffith's deputy. Ms Coutinho will be covered by shadow technology secretary Julia Lopez while she is on maternity leave, with Richard Fuller remaining as shadow chief secretary to the Treasury.New Shadow Foreign Secretary Mr Tugendhat, a former Army officer, will occupy a 'beefed-up' position that includes work on defence.A Conservative MP told the Daily Mail that getting the party on election footing was 'what this is all about', adding: 'Mel and Priti have been solid; they've brought experience and credibility and barely put a foot wrong.'But now is the time to move to a next phase of what a future Conservative Government would look like.'Our new team will give us the energy we need to fight a general election.' A Conservative insider added: 'Andrew Griffith will ensure that Britain starts growing; Claire Coutinho will make sure people feel the benefit; Richard Fuller will keep an eye on the numbers and ensure we're bringing down the deficit.'Three people, three strengths, one economic plan to take on Burnham and the Labour MPs who will never cut welfare, cut spending and get Britain working again.' Andy Burnham - who jetted off on holiday days after being handed the keys to Downing Street - returns to a grim economic picture (file image)Former Conservative justice spokesman Robert Buckland told Times Radio of Mrs Badenoch: 'She's looking ahead now to the next two years of this Parliament, which of course will lead us to an election. 'She wants the strongest possible team that is going to take the fight to Labour and which will draw a line under the past and look to the future.'Commenting on Sir Mel being bumped to the backbenches, Mrs Badenoch said: 'Like Priti, Mel came into the job at an exceptionally difficult point for the Conservative Party.'He helped us steady the ship, rebuild economic credibility and become an effective opposition, and I am genuinely grateful for his contribution.'The Conservative Party would not have got where we are without his work and his very effective skewering of Rachel Reeves and her disastrous time as Chancellor.'Mel has been very supportive of the new economic team and the party, and been exceptionally loyal, and I will always be grateful to him for the work he has done.'Sir Mel said he was 'especially proud of the work we have done to rebuild the Conservatives' economic credibility'.Mr Griffith, the only MP to have been a FTSE100 boss when he was chief financial officer at Sky, said: 'To become Shadow Chancellor for the party I joined as a teenager under Margaret Thatcher is a great honour.'Kemi and I are united in our view that Britain needs an economic revolution and a team working to deliver that.'Dame Priti now has responsibility for maintaining relationships with Right-wing parties around the world in her new role covering international policy for the Conservatives. She will also be tasked with evaluating the merits of Rwanda-style immigration returns deals with an eye to the Tories resuming power.Sir James Cleverly resigned as shadow housing secretary this weekend to run for London mayor, and he has been replaced by Katie Lam. Shadow health secretary Stuart Andrew announced he was stepping down to return to the backbenches, and is replaced by Damian Hinds, while former shadow deputy chief whip Joy Morrissey was appointed shadow women and equalities minister.The Tory reshuffle comes amid increasing speculation that Mr Burnham will call a snap election in the hope of shoring up his mandate in No 10.Julian Gallie, head of research at polling firm Merlin Strategy, said: 'Kemi Badenoch has seen a noticeable improvement in her personal ratings over the past year, particularly among 2024 Conservative voters.'But that recovery has largely been her alone. For most voters, the rest of the Shadow Cabinet barely registers: few personalities have cut through... and opposition to Labour (and Keir Starmer personally) has been associated much more with Badenoch than the wider team. 'For the reshuffle to succeed, Badenoch should put in place more figures eager to cut through to the public as well as fresher faces not associated with the past government.'Late last night, Rebecca Paul was moved to shadow culture secretary to replace Nigel Huddleston, and Harriet Cross took over from Andrew Bowie as shadow Scotland secretary. Mr Bowie was shuffled into the shadow energy brief. Who is IN and who is OUT in Kemi's new frontbench... OUT: Shadow housing secretary Sir James Cleverly has resigned to run for London mayor OUT: Sir Mel Stride, Shadow Chancellor since November 2024, has been replaced OUT: Dame Priti Patel has been replaced as shadow foreign secretary and now has responsibility for maintaining relationships with Right-wing parties around the world in a new role OUT: Nigel Huddleston has lost his role as the party’s shadow culture secretary OUT: Former shadow health secretary Stuart Andrew is returning to the backbenches IN: Former Treasury minister Andrew Griffith is now the Shadow Chancellor IN: New shadow health secretary Damian Hinds is a former education secretary IN: Harriet Cross takes over from Andrew Bowie as shadow Scotland secretary IN: Elected in the 2024 poll, Rebecca Paul is the new shadow culture secretary IN: Former Army officer Tom Tugendhat is the Tories’ new Shadow Foreign Secretary IN: New shadow business secretary Claire Coutinho has worked in investment banking