Sir Keir Starmer has appointed former Labour leader Ed Miliband as shadow business secretary in his new shadow cabinet, as he confirmed his front bench on Monday.

Mr Miliband will take over from Rebecca Long-Bailey, who lost out to Starmer in the contest for the leadership and will now take up the role of shadow education secretary.

Miliband, who led the party from 2010-2015 shared his acceptance of the role on Twitter.

He said: "I am looking forward to serving in Keir Starmer's Shadow Cabinet as Shadow Business and Energy secretary alongside such a talented team.

"We must also focus on playing our part in the country's response to coronavirus, working with government to help the many businesses and workers who have been so badly hit and need their voice heard," he added.

He echoed what the new party leader said after his appointment saying: "As Keir said, we cannot go back to business as usual after this crisis.

"We will need to reshape our economy, addressing the insecurity many millions of workers face.

He then pointed to other issues the world must not forget during this pandemic adding: "We must also return to climate change as the unavoidable long-term issue of our time, including with a recovery based on providing economic justice through a Green New Deal."

In Monday's announcement, the remaining front bench places were taken up by David Lammy as justice secretary, Jonathan Reynolds as shadow work and pensions secretary and John Healey as shadow defence secretary.

After unveiling the full roster of his shadow cabinet, 57-year-old Starmer said he was 'proud to have appointed a shadow cabinet that showcases the breadth, depth and talents of the Labour Party'.

"This is a new team that will be relentlessly focused on acting in the national interest to respond to the coronavirus pandemic and rebuilding Labour so that it can win the next election," he added.

These appointments follow Sir Keir's announcement of his top team on Sunday when he named Labour's new deputy leader, Angela Rayner, as chair of the party, Nick Thomas-Symonds as shadow home secretary and Annaliese Dodds as shadow chancellor.

Other notable appointments include that of Lisa Nandy, who was appointed as shadow foreign secretary.