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Helen Hayes replaces Tulip Siddiq as shadow early years minister

By Rachel LawlerHelen Hayes

Helen Hayes MP has replaced Tulip Siddiq as Labour鈥檚 shadow minister for children and early years, with Siddiq moving into a new role in the shadow Treasury team.

Hayes has been an MP for Dulwich and West Norwood since 2015 and has previously served as shadow minister for the cabinet office, but resigned from the role in 2020 in order to abstain on the Future Trade Agreement between the UK and EU.

Writing on Twitter, Hayes said: 鈥淚鈥檓 delighted to be joining the shadow education team led by [Bridget Phillipson] as shadow minister for children and early years. Few things are more important than giving every child the best start in life. My thanks to my friend and predecessor [Tulip Siddiq] who leaves big shoes to fill.鈥

Siddiq will now serve as shadow economic secretary to the Treasury alongside shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves. She was first appointed shadow early years minister in October 2016, before resigning from the role in order to vote against triggering Article 50 of the treaty on the European Union. In 2020, she took up the role of shadow early years minister again after Tracey Brabin was promoted to shadow culture secretary.