Mr Burnham will move from his position as shadow education secretary to take up the shadow health secretary post. The cabinet reshuffle will also see shadow health minister Liz Kendall appointed to the shadow cabinet.
In October last year Mr Burnham, who was health secretary between June 2009 and May 2010, launched a ‘Save our NHS’ campaign against the NHS reform plans.
He said the reorganisation is ‘unnecessary and dangerous’ and will ‘unpick the very fabric of our previous NHS’.
Labour leader Ed Miliband said he is determined that the shadow cabinet holds the government to account.
He said: ‘My decision to appoint half a dozen members of the 2010 intake [including Liz Kendall] shows the talent that Labour has and the way in which this new generation can join us in taking Labour’s agenda forward.’
Editor's blog: Who should replace John healey as Labour's shadow health secretary?
