Okwudiri Straightman Nwali

'White van man' controversy Labour MP Emily Thornberry is made shadow defence secretary in Corbyn's shambolic reshuffle

Controversial ex-Labour MP Emily Thornberry (left) who was sacked after sneering at a white van parked outside a family home has been appointed shadow defence secretary in Jeremy Corbyn's reshuffle. The Labour leader last night moved Maria Eagle from the role of shadow defence secretary into the position of shadow culture secretary before welcoming Ms Thornberry into his Shadow Cabinet. It comes despite the fact Ms Thornberry sparked a storm in 2014 when claimed she had 'never seen anything like it' after tweeting a picture of a terraced home in Rochester with three England flags and a white van parked in the drive. At the time, the then-Labour leader Ed Miliband fired her from his top team but she was later reinstated to a prime frontbench role by Mr Corbyn. It came as pressure was mounting over whether Hilary Benn would keep his role as Shadow Foreign Secretary, with sources claiming he would if he agreed to back Mr Corbyn's (together right) views on foreign policy in public.