WEST Derby MP Stephen Twigg and Liverpool-born Andy Burnham have emerged as two of the heaviest hitters in the new Shadow Cabinet.
Labour Leader Ed Miliband believes, after the economy, the coalition is most vulnerable on schools and the NHS.
His shake-up means Mr Twigg, a former schools minister in the previous administration, will focus on the “Tory gamble” on free schools as shadow education secretary.
And Mr Burnham, the health secretary in the run-up to the last election, has taken back his former brief on the Opposition benches.
A senior Labour aide said: “Both men are popular with the electorate, and both have the experience we need to expose the Government’s real right-wing agenda.
Mr Twigg told the ECHO: “Education has always been my top passion. Since becoming a Liverpool MP, I have visited as many schools and colleges as I could to hear the concerns of students, teachers and parents. I am delighted I have a chance to do that from the front benches.”
Mr Burnham was never happy with his previous education brief, and said he was “absolutely delighted” to return to the health job. “It has never been so important,” he said.
St Helens South MP Shaun Woodward resigned from the shadow cabinet in the shake-up after holding the top Northern Ireland brief for almost six years.
The reshuffle also saw the effective demotion of Wallasey MP Angela Eagle from shadow Treasury chief secretary, a key post in the current economic crisis, to shadow Commons Leader.
