Edward Argar has been named as shadow health and social care secretary in new Conservative party leader Kemi Badenoch’s shadow cabinet.
Mr Argar, MP for Melton and Syston, previously held the position of justice minister between October 2022 and July 2024, prior to the general election.
He was also briefly the chief secretary to the Treasury in October 2022 under Liz Truss, and prior to that paymaster general and minister for the cabinet office between 6 September 2022 and 14 October 2022.
Under Boris Johnson’s leadership, he held the position of minister of state at the Department of Health and Social Care, between 10 September 2019 and 6 July 2022.
Health secretary Wes Streeting congratulated Mr Argar on his appointment and said it was ‘the best job in opposition’.
‘He is one of the few keepers of the One Nation Tory flame, now dimmed by the surge of the right wing populism that has swept his party. Wish him every success in restoring reason to Conservatism,’ Mr Streeting commented on X.
Congratulations to Ed Argar on his appointment to the best job in opposition. He is one of the few keepers of the One Nation Tory flame, now dimmed by the surge of the right wing populism that has swept his party. Wish him every success in restoring reason to Conservatism.
— Wes Streeting (@wesstreeting) November 5, 2024
On her first shadow cabinet meeting, Ms Badenoch said on X: ‘My team draws on talents from across our party, based on meritocracy and with a breadth of experience and perspective, just as I promised during the campaign.
‘We will now get to work holding Labour to account and rebuilding our party based on Conservative principles and values.’
Image credit: Edward Argar ©House of Commons
