Patel to be replaced by Tugendhat as shadow foreign secretary

Former Tory leadership candidate Tom Tugendhat will replace Dame Priti Patel as shadow foreign secretary, BBC News has been told.

As first reported by the Daily Telegraph, he will return to the Conservative front bench when Kemi Badenoch reshuffles her team next month.

Dame Priti wrote on social media that she would be leaving the front bench position to take up a new role focused on strengthening "links with sister parties and centre right movements around the world".

It comes after shadow housing secretary Sir James Cleverly said he was resigning in order to run for London mayor .

The move will see Tugendhat return to a senior role for the first time since finishing fourth in the 2024 Tory leadership election.

The former British Army reserve and Territorial Army officer has long been vocal on international affairs and security matters.

He served as security minister under Liz Truss and Boris Johnson and prior to that spent five years as chair of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee.

Dame Priti was appointed to Badenoch's shadow cabinet after finishing sixth in the leadership election, and previously held senior roles in successive Tory governments, including a three-year spell as home secretary under Boris Johnson.