Pat Glass resigns as Shadow Education Secretary
Pat Glass, MP for North West Durham, has resigned from her new role of Shadow Education Secretary just two days after accepting the post.
Mrs Glass said on social media: “It is with a heavy heart that I have today resigned as Shadow SoS (Secretary of State for) Education. My dream job but the situation is untenable.”
The North East MP had already written to her Constituency Labour Party to say she would stand down at the next election, which could take place as soon as October 2016. Her letter stated: “Whilst I had always intended to do no more than two terms in Parliament, I have found the last six months very, very difficult. The referendum has been incredibly divisive, it divided families and communities and I have found it bruising in many respects. It has had an impact on both me and my family as I am sure it has had on many others.”
Ms Glass was chosen by Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn to replace Lucy Powell who resigned from the shadow cabinet on Sunday.
Her promotion is part of the shake-up caused by 20 resignations from the shadow cabinet over the past week.
Glass was previously the Shadow Europe Minister and has been an MP since 2010. She was also the opposition leader on the Education Select Committee for five years and the first Shadow Education Secretary from the North East in almost three decades.
Leader of the opposition Jeremy Corbyn has also appointed a new Shadow Minister for Children and Families, after Washington and Sunderland West MP Sharon Hodgson resigned from the post. Mrs Hodgson said that she did not take the decision “lightly” but wrote to Mr Corbyn, saying: “Sadly and respectfully, I do not think you can lead us into Government and therefore believe you should do the honourable, decent and selfless thing – personal qualities that I know you possess – and step aside to ensure Labour can be the united and effective party that I know we have been and can be again.”