Badenoch's New Cabinet.

Kemi Badenoch has put together her new Shadow Cabinet. Ms. Badenoch held her first shadow cabinet meeting today. Ms. Badenoch needed to get her ministers in place as His Majesty's Official Opposition. The opposition in UK politics plays a role in holding the government to account. She will question the Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer at PMQs (Prime Minister's Questions).

How that first round will go will be of interest to political pundits. Mr. Starmer's clashes with Rishi and Boris were often combative affairs. As all clashes between party leaders often are. Both Starmer and Badenoch will be preparing themselves to face each other. Ms. Badenoch will have her agenda to question Mr. Starmer. Sir Keir will be prepping answers to questions she may ask.

The ministers in Badenoch's new shadow cabinet contain old faces and some new faces. She has honoured what she said about giving candidates who challenged her to be leader jobs. Robert Jenrick, Priti Patel, and Mel Stride are all included in her team. They are as follows:

Chris Philip - Shadow Home Secretary.

Dame Priti Patel - Shadow Foreign Secretary.

Mel Stride - Shadow Chancellor.

Robert Jenrick - Shadow Justice Secretary.

James Cartilidge - Shadow Defence Secretary.

Helen Whatley - Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary.

Kevin Holinrake - Shadow Housing Secretary.

Edward Argar - Shadow Health and Social Care Secretary.

Gareth Bacon - Shadow Transport Secretary.

Claire Countinho - Shadow Net Zero and Energy Secretary.

Alan Mak - Shadow Science Secretary.

Victoria Adams - Shadow Environment Secretary.

Andrew Griffith - Shadow Business and Trade Secretary.

Stuart Andrew - Culture Secretary.

Andrew Bowie - Shadow Scotland Secretary.

Dame Rebecca Harris - Chief Whip.

Nigel Huddleston and Lord Johnson - Joint Conservative Party Chairmen.

Laura Trott - Shadow Education Secretary.

These new shadow ministers will be doing their homework on their government equivalents. Badenoch and her new cabinet will have business, to conduct as their in-trays will be full. It will not be the business of governing the country. It will be the business of opposing the Starmer administration. Of course, where both agree, working together.

Badenoch and her gang will pick up the baton from the departed Sunak team. What direction does the Tory party go in opposition now? Do they carry on moving ever to the right? Do they ape Reform hoping to bring back former supporters who voted for them? What issues will be the most important to them? What will they most tackle the government on? Such issues will have been on the agenda at the new shadow cabinet's meeting.

What must Sunak be thinking? Now that he is once more a backbench MP? Will he miss debating with Sir Keir every Wednesday at the dispatch box whether in opposition or government? Or will he be glad he is out of it? Just being an ordinary run-of-the-mill MP for his Yorkshire constituency.

Sunak will be rolled out come Memorial Day at the Cenotaph in London. Alongside former PMs notably John Major, Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, David Cameron, Theresa May, Boris Johnson, and Liz Truss. Sunak said he would feel strange at 43 being called an "elder statesman" but that is exactly what he is, like it or not!

So one wonders how Badenoch and Starmer are feeling as they look to face each other. For Starmer, he has done it before and that may give him an advantage. However, he should not underestimate Badenoch either. For Badenoch, it will be her first time holding the PM to account.

Both will be judged on their performances. And their performances will be ring-side viewing for many.