Kemi Badenoch has started appointing her top team as the new Tory leader insists she can defeat Labour at the next election.
Ms Badenoch has made Priti Patel shadow foreign secretary in a stunning comeback for the former Cabinet minister, while Mel Stride becomes shadow chancellor.
She also tonight named her defeated rival Robert Jenrick, who she beat in the final round of the Conservative leadership contest, as shadow justice secretary.
An ally of Mr Jenrick said: ‘Rob thinks the party needs to come together and take the fight to Labour. Unity could not be more important.
‘He’s eager to expose Labour’s dreadful record on law and order.’
Earlier, Ms Badenoch handed her ally Laura Trott the job of shadow education secretary.
This came in time for Ms Trott to appear in the House of Commons to grill the Government over their hiking of university tuition fees this afternoon.
A source said both Ms Patel and Mr Stride are ‘experienced…
