PMs battle for place in Labour shadow Cabinet

Voting opens in Labour’s shadow cabinet elections today, with 49 MPs battling for a place in Ed Miliband’s top team.

Mon, 04 Oct, 2010 - 08:33

Voting opens in Labour’s shadow cabinet elections today, with 49 MPs battling for a place in Ed Miliband’s top team.

Candidates range from household names such as Alan Johnson and Ed Balls to relatively obscure backbenchers.

The departure of some of Labour’s biggest beasts, including Lord Mandelson, Alistair Darling and Jack Straw, has left opportunities for fresh faces. But with just 19 spaces available, the majority of applicants will end up disappointed.

Under Labour rules, its MPs vote to decide who should be in the shadow cabinet when the party is in opposition. A minimum quota of six women has been imposed as part of efforts to promote equality.

However, the leader can still choose which specific jobs individuals receive.

Close allies of Mr Miliband are expected to be the biggest winners in the process, with his leadership campaign manager and former transport minister Sadiq Khan tipped for a bigger role.

Former ministers Caroline Flint and sisters Angela and Maria Eagle are among the women nominated – while left-winger Diane Abbott is a wild-card entrant after her leadership bid.

As the elected deputy leader, Harriet Harman does not need any further endorsement from her colleagues, but there are suggestions she could be rewarded with a major brief such as health after a solid stint covering in the top job.

In that case Andy Burnham, who handled health in government, could be shifted sideways to home affairs or justice as part of the shake-up.

The trickiest appointment is likely to be the key position of shadow chancellor - which many believe had been earmarked for David Miliband.

His absence may leave the way clear for fellow defeated leadership candidate Mr Balls, who made a thinly-veiled pitch for the job in his speech to Labour conference last week.

But there is also the fascinating prospect of further intra-family competition, as Mr Balls’ wife, Yvette Cooper, could also be in the running for the Treasury brief.

Meanwhile, there are predictions that Mr Miliband will attempt to ease tensions and disprove his “Red Ed” nickname by elevating some of his brother’s Blairite backers.

Jim Murphy, the former Scottish secretary who ran David’s campaign, could be in line for a promotion, while Mr Johnson remains one of the party’s most popular figures.

Voting takes place until Thursday, with the results due to be announced at 9pm.

Mr Miliband will then hammer out the details of his team before Parliament returns on October 11.

Here is the full list of the 49 MPs nominated for election to the shadow cabinet:

Diane Abbott

Douglas Alexander

Ed Balls

Hilary Benn

Roberta Blackman-Woods

Ben Bradshaw

Kevin Brennan

Chris Bryant

Andy Burnham