Jeremy Corbyn axes ‘dedicated’ mental health minister post amid wave of Shadow Cabinet resignations
Labour leader was forced to scrap position he established only 10 months ago in a move that has caused concern among MPs
JEREMY Corbyn has scrapped the dedicated mental health job from his Shadow Cabinet last night, as Labour unveiled a new scaled-down team.
The Labour leader received widespread praise in September when he created the new, dedicated position, a move which was seen as a vital step towards giving mental health “parity of esteem” with physical health.
However, the post’s founding holder, Liverpool Wavertree MP Luciana Berger, was among the wave of Shadow Cabinet ministers who resigned in the wake of the EU referendum and Hilary Benn’s sacking.
Now, the brief has been dropped as Corbyn struggles to find enough allies to work with him.
The move dismayed Labour MPs fighting to oust Corbyn.
Labour MP for Barrow and Furness John Woodcock, who spoke out about his own struggle with depression in 2013, said: "It is deeply disappointing that this important position has been axed by Jeremy Corbyn.
"Over the last nine months we have seen how a Cabinet Minister for Mental Health can raise the profile of mental health and hold the Government to account for their broken promises on funding and parity of esteem.
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"Sadly this is just further evidence of Jeremy Corbyn's failure to provide the strong and effective opposition that working people in this country so desperately need."
The move comes despite high praise for the role from Corbyn himself.
He said in September: "I am delighted that we have established a Shadow Cabinet position for mental health which is a matter I have long been interested in."
The Labour leadership unveiled its new Shadow Cabinet line-up in full Tuesday evening, with a reduced team of 25, down from 31, and four ministers holding more than one portfolio, after further front-bench resignations and a vote of no confidence in the leader backed by 172 MPs made filling posts difficult.
The shadow mental health role had been “subsumed” into the department of Diane Abbott, the new Shadow Health Secretary, a spokesman for My Corbyn said.
A Labour Party spokesman said: "The improvement of mental health services remains a crucial issue and Jeremy has asked the Shadow Secretary of State for Health to put it at the forefront of her responsibilities."