Pat Glass takes on shadow childcare role

Ms Glass, the MP for North West Durham, has been named as the new shadow childcare minister.

The lead opposition MP on the Education Select Committee, Ms Glass worked in education for 25 years in senior roles before her election to Parliament in 2010.

Ms Glass worked as an adviser to the Government on education and worked with local authorities in Yorkshire and Humber on improving education services. Her specialist area of knowledge is special educational needs.

Prior to the 2015 general election she worked as Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) to Maria Eagle MP, during her time as shadow secretary for the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA), and when she was shadow transport secretary.

On her website, Ms Glass describes her main policy areas of interest as education, child poverty, the environment and the North East economy.

Meanwhile, Sharon Hodgson (right) is staying on in the shadow education team but her responsibilities have changed from her previous children and families brief.

The MP for Washington and Sunderland West will now cover special educational needs, adoption and fostering, child protection and safeguarding.

Ms Hodgson tweeted, ‘Very happy to be asked to stay in Education Team, this time covering child protection, safeguarding, fostering & adoption and SEN brief.’

She had also previously been the shadow women’s and equalities minister. However, this has now become a full shadow post held by Kate Green MP.

Nik Dakin, the MP for Scunthorpe, Lord Watson, and Gordon Marsden, MP for Blackpool South, have also been named as shadow ministers in the education team. Mr Marsden is a joint shadow minister with the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS).

Lucy Powell, who is also a former shadow childcare minister, was appointed as the new shadow education secretary on Monday.

Other appointments include shadow home office minister Sarah Champion. The MP for Rotherham is the new shadow minister for preventing abuse.

The MP, who won a by-election in 2012, has been widely recognised for her campaigning in support of victims of child abuse, and headed up a cross-party investigation into the effectiveness of current legislation in tackling child sexual exploitation and trafficking.

Commenting on the new shadow childcare appointment, Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Pre-school Learning Alliance, said, 'We warmly welcome Pat Glass to her new post, and look forward to work with her closely going forward, and helping to ensure that Labour’s evolving stance on early years policy reflects the needs, ideas and concerns of those working on the front-line.'

'At a time of real change for the sector, it is critical that politicians from all parties engage in open and honest debate about the challenges and opportunities currently facing early years providers. As such, we hope that Ms Glass will look to work in close partnership with the sector, and organisations like the Alliance, in the months to come.'

• Labour shadow frontbench