 In his acceptance speech he said he planned to "engage constructively with the government", having become Opposition Leader amid the COVID-19 pandemic.He appointed his Shadow Cabinet the following day, which included former leader Ed Miliband, as well as both of the candidates he defeated in the leadership contest.He also appointed Anneliese Dodds as Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer, making her the first woman to serve in that position in either a ministerial or shadow ministerial position.