LUCY Powell, MP for Central Manchester, has been handed a key role in Ed Miliband's general election push.
Powell became Manchester's first female Labour MP in November 2012 in a by-election that saw her take 69% of the vote.
Powell, who previously managed Miliband's leadership campaign, has been given the position of 'vice chair' of the election campaign making her responsible for the day-to-day running of Miliband's push for leadership in May 2015.
Powell has also been bumped up from shadow childcare minister to the shadow Cabinet Office.
Lucy Powell with comedian Eddy Izzard on the campaign trail
Miliband's reshuffle has been triggered by Jim Murphy's departure. Murphy resigned from the shadow cabinet on Sunday 2 November to focus on his campaign for leadership of the faltering Scottish Labour party.
Powell became Manchester's first female Labour MP in November 2012 in a by-election that saw her take 69% of the vote (11,507 votes). The by-election followed Tony Lloyd's resignation to run for Greater Manchester's Police and Crime Commissioner - a position he currently holds.
Powell said of her promotion: "I'm going to unblock the system to make sure that our operation is serving all of those fantastic candidates and our fantastic front bench and Ed as our leader."
Read Confidential editor Jonathan Schofield's interview with Powell just before the 2012 by-election result.
