Labour appoints Hollie Ridley as new general secretary

The Labour Party has named Hollie Ridley as its new general secretary.

Ms Ridley, who was reportedly the only shortlisted candidate, was selected for the party’s most senior job by the National Executive Committee on Tuesday afternoon. Her appointment will be ratified at the Labour Party conference in Liverpool.

She will take over the role from General Secretary David Evans after working in his top team.

Mr Evans announced recently that he would stand down after four years in the role, during which time he oversaw Labour’s machine as it rebuilt from the heavy defeat of 2019 to enter Government this year.

Ms Ridley, who has worked for the party for more than a decade, ran Labour’s field operations in the general election campaign this year.

Ms Ridley said: “The Labour Party is the greatest vehicle for social progress in British history. But we can only do that when we win.

“Keir has shown that the Labour Party is at its best when it is outward facing and focused on the needs of the British people. I look forward to working with him to deliver that in the years ahead.”

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said: “I want to congratulate Hollie on her appointment as general secretary.

“Hollie is an outstanding leader who played a critical role in the general election campaign. She brings experience, expertise and a clear vision about what is needed for continued electoral success.

“We won the general election as a changed Labour Party and I look forward to working closely with Hollie to remain true to that promise as we change Britain.”

Mr Evans became general secretary in May 2020, shortly after Sir Keir Starmer became party leader, and secured the most by-election victories of any general secretary as the party prepared for office.

He also oversaw the response to the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s report into antisemitism in Labour.

The appointment of the new general secretary comes as Labour prepares for its first party conference with Sir Keir as Prime Minister.

At a political Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, the Prime Minister emphasised that stabilising the economy was the “number one priority” for the Government.

According to a readout of the meeting, the Prime Minister opened the political Cabinet meeting by “highlighting the scale of the challenges facing the country after 14 years of Conservative failure, a £22 billion blackhole in the nation’s finances, prisons without the space to lock up criminals, a broken asylum system, and the NHS on its knees”.

A Labour spokeswoman said: “Political Cabinet then turned to a discussion of the Labour party conference and its strapline: ‘Change Begins.’

“The Prime Minister said that stabilising the economy was the number one priority and that tough decisions were necessary now to deliver on our promise of change.”

The political Cabinet, a meeting of ministers without civil servants present, “discussed the contrast between the Labour Party conference which is focused on national renewal and a Conservative conference that will show that they have not learnt the lessons from their defeat”.