Please, explain to us how you came to this conclusion?

Actually LOL'ing eternally at Diane Abbott not even getting elected to the ShadCab! Poor woman!

 

So, that's basically Yvette Cooper confirmed as Shadow Chancellor then, isn't it? First ever female to hold the office IIRC?

Actually LOL'ing eternally at Diane Abbott not even getting elected to the ShadCab! Poor woman!

 

So, that's basically Yvette Cooper confirmed as Shadow Chancellor then, isn't it? First ever female to hold the office IIRC?

 

There's definitely never been a female chancellor, and I don't think there's been a female shadow chancellor. I still think Balls would be better in that role though.

Anyway, disappointing that Abbott, Peter Hain and David Lammy couldn't win through, but happy that John Healey, Angela Eagle, Caroline Flint and Sadiq Khan all made it. Unhappy that Jowell and Byrne are still there.

 

If it were up to me, this is how I'd make the shadow cabinet using those selections:

 

Leader Ed Miliband

Deputy Leader / Shadow Justice Secretary / Shadow Equalities Harriet Harman

Shadow Deputy Prime Minister / Shadow Leader of Commons Alan Johnson

Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls

Shadow Foreign Secretary Douglas Alexander

Shadow Home Secretary Sadiq Khan

Shadow Defence Secretary / Shadow Scottish Secretary Jim Murphy

Shadow Business Secretary Yvette Cooper

Shadow Work & Pensions Secretary Hilary Benn

Shadow Health Secretary Andy Burnham

Shadow Education Secretary Caroline Flint

Shadow Communities Secretary John Denham

Shadow Environment Secretary Mary Creagh

Shadow Energy Secretary Ivan Lewis

Shadow International Development Secretary Meg Hillier

Shadow Minister for Cabinet Office Ann McKechin

Shadow Chief Secretary to Treasury Angela Eagle

Shadow Northern Ireland Secretary Maria Eagle

Shadow Welsh Secretary Liam Byrne

Shadow Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell

Shadow Chief Whip – Commons Rosie Winterton

Party Chair Tony Lloyd

Shadow Leader of Lords Baroness Royall

Shadow Chief Whip – Lords Lord Bassam

Backbench peer

No, there has never been a woman Shadow Chancellor (or indeed Chancellor).

Source: bbc.co.uk

 

Alan Johnson is shadow chancellor

 

Alan Johnson is to be the shadow chancellor, Ed Balls is to be shadow home secretary and Yvette Cooper is to be shadow foreign secretary.

 

Labour leader Ed Miliband has made Andy Burnham shadow education secretary, while John Healey gets health.

 

Pundits had been predicting shadow chancellor would go to either Mr Balls or Ms Cooper.

 

Mr Miliband said the line-up was "drawn from a broad range of talents across our party".

 

He added: "My team is united in one central mission for the future - to win back the trust of the British people and take Labour back to power.

 

"Together, this new generation of Labour will work together to reject the pessimism of this coalition government as we set out our vision of what Britain can achieve. Our values are those of the British people, and this shadow cabinet will ensure that the hopes and concerns of working families are at the heart of our offer to the country."

In a shock move, Alan Johnson is shadow chancellor, with Ed Balls as Home Secretary and Yvette Cooper as Foreign Secretary.

 

In some ways, it's a very shrewd move from Miliband, appointing one of the heavyweights from the centre wing of the party to shore up support... but I can't help but wonder whether Johnson is actually up to the job. Still, I always thought Johnson was criminally underused in terms of the media by the last government as he is a fantastic communicator, so hopefully it'll work. I'm also looking forward to seeing Balls get unleashed on the hapless Theresa May.

Is it too much to ask to have an economist as Shadow Chancellor? GOOD GRIEF. I mean, I like Johnson, but seriously - Ed gets given a gift in two fabulous candidates for the Chancellorship and still goes for Johnson?

Pleased for Johnson, not expected at all but it could work very well.

Pleased for Johnson, not expected at all but it could work very well.

I suspect it's a way of dealing with a potentially awkward problem. Johnson had to get one of the top jobs but some of his recent comments put him at odds with Ed Miliband on some key Home Office issues. Therefore it was convenient to move him but there were only two jobs he could move to - Shadow Chancellor or Shadow Foreign Secretary - without it being portrayed as a demotion.