Yvette Cooper has been an MP since 1997 and was a Cabinet minister when Labour was in government.
The 52-year-old politician is now returning to Labour’s frontbench as shadow home secretary after Sir Keir Starmer reshuffled his top team.
Ms Cooper, MP for Normanton, Pontefract and Castleford, was chief secretary to the Treasury from January 2008 to June 2009, and then secretary of state for work and pensions from June 2009 to May 2010.
More recently, she has been on a number of committees including the Commons Home Affairs Committee, where as chairwoman she has conducted forensic questioning.
As shadow home secretary, Ms Cooper will take on Priti Patel over the migrant crisis.
She is not new to the position, having held the role of shadow home secretary from 2011 to 2015.
Ms Cooper, who is married to former Labour shadow chancellor Ed Balls, is a prominent Commons figure and is popular among MPs.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel