Jeremy Corbyn expected to delay Labour reshuffle 'to keep all eyes on Tories'

Jeremy Corbyn: The Labour leader is expected to delay any cabinet reshuffle
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Jeremy Corbyn is expected to delay any possible reshuffling of the shadow cabinet to keep the focus of British politics fixed firmly on the Conservatives for now.

After the snap General Election that saw her Commons majority wiped out, the spotlight remained firmly on Theresa May as she made changes to her team.

And it appears the Labour party is in no rush to reshuffle the pack, with sources suggesting they want keep pressure on the Mrs May - whose leadership has come in to question.

Asked about when the party would make amendments, a Labour source told the Guardian: "It’s not the priority to be thinking about these things now."

They added: “Her [Mrs May's] lack of authority, her lack of credibility, how she doesn’t have a mandate, that’s the priority.”

“The second focus is preparing to serve in government and step up if that’s possible. The third focus is our plans around opposing the policies they want to push through. All those things take precedence.”

Jeremy Corbyn appearing on the The Andrew Marr Show
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Mr Corbyn said yesterday he was prepared to reach out to MPs who had been critical of his leadership, hinting that he could broaden his shadow cabinet.

A senior party source reportedly hinted that those who stayed loyal to the Labour leader would not be removed in favour of more high-profile names.

Yvette Cooper, Chuka Umunna and Angela Eagle all said they would serve in the shadow cabinet under Corbyn – despite previously being open critics of his leadership.

Mr Corbyn told the Andrew Marr show: “There’s been one or two difficulties at times with the parliamentary party but let’s put that behind us.

“The party came together around a brilliant manifesto and came together for a result that you and many others never expected.”

Michael Gove in Downing Street after the announcement of his shock return to the Cabinet as Environment Secretary
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He added: “I’m not going to appoint the shadow cabinet here on the programme. Yes, of course we are going to reach out, ever since I became leader I had reached out.”

Mrs May was clinging on to power this weekend as she sought a deal with Northern Ireland’s Democratic Unionist Party to form a minority government.

After the snap election left her leading a minority government, her subsequent loss of authority and apparent weakness within the party meant many people were left in their existing roles.

Mrs May has given her close alley Damian Green one of the top roles in her new Cabinet. The former Work and Pensions Secretary was appointed Secretary of State in the reshuffle.

And in a surprise move, Environment Secretary Andrea Leadsom was appointed leader of the House of Commons and was replaced in her role by Michael Gove who was sacked last year by Mrs May.

Mr Gove, the former Justice Secretary, was ousted in one of Mrs May first acts as Prime Minister after he effectively scuppered the Tory leadership hopes of Boris Johnson by withdrawing his support and announcing his own candidacy.

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