Labour has named Reading East MP, Matt Rodda, as Shadow Pensions Minister amid a frontbench reshuffle.
Rodda replaces Jack Dromey, who has been moved to the Cabinet Office team after holding the role for the past three years.
Prior to this, Rodda served as Shadow Minister for Buses under Labour leader, Keir Starmer, having previously also been Shadow Minister for Local Transport under Jeremy Corbyn.
Commenting on the news on Twitter, Rodda said: “It is a privilege to have been given the role of Shadow Pensions Minister. I am grateful for the opportunity to serve our community in this important area of policy.”
Pensions Minister, Guy Opperman, also took to Twitter to welcome his new counterpart, stating that he hopes they can work “just as constructively together”.
Adding to this, Opperman emphasised that pension policy is “very long term” and can sometimes take multiple governments, noting that the Pension Schemes Bill, for instance, has taken over two years of cross-party work.
He stated: “To deliver policy change (particularly with a low majority) requires cross-party work in the House of Commons.
“This genuinely involves ministers and shadow ministers meeting, talking, texting, discussing policy, reaching out to key stakeholders, MPs and whips to drive forward change.
“Automatic enrolment was conceive by Labour, started under the coalition and really expanded by Conservatives, so that 8 per cent a year is now being saved into a workplace pension by over 10 million people.
“I want to welcome Matt Rodda – and hope we can work just as constructively together too.”
— to www.pensionsage.com
