A closer look at the shadow cabinet

hi there again. As i blogged about earlier, i said i would detail the shadow cabinet in more detail later on. well here it is.

Alan Johnson - Shadow Chancellor

argueably the most surprising of the announcements today. Certainly the one the media are focusing on the most. To put alan johnson as shadow chancellor it breaks any media ploy to plot against ed balls and his wife. i see this is a nieve move by Ed miliband personally. I'd have gone with Ed balls. He is sound on the econemy and has almost ran his whole leadership campaign based around the econemy. For alan johnson now, who lets be fair has a fair bit of expereince of being in a top job. was most well known for being home sec for a number of years under gordon brown. I think if he gets the wording and the stragey right he could be good. But just like the media this is the person i have the biggest question mark over. Not that i dont like Aj as i do very much but in terms of the econemy i think he may be a little weak in this area. Only time will tell i guess. I for one will be at least giving him a chance, who knows he may surprise us ?

Yvette Cooper - Shadow Foreign Secretary

Another surprise move by Ed miliband. Yvette was highly tipped for a top job notably the one she was tipped for was the one of shadow chancellor, this was talked about as a battle between her and her husband, has ed M gone for the easy option by ignoring them both for the role and going with Alan johnson in a attempt to cool and media hype between the two Balls family spouses ?. As for SFO i think yvette is a highly talented polititain and will do a excellent job, shadowing william hague who i actually think is one of the better tories out there she'll have to perform well and no doubt she will do so. Big things are predicted for yvette if she carries on progressing the way she has.


Ed Balls - Shadow Home Secretary

As anyone who reads my blog and i'm disapointed to rad not many do, yuo will know that Ed balls was my prefered candidate for leader of the labour party, this did not happen, he came in a respectful 3rd, behind the two Milibands. This is a good show i think for balls who i am very much inspired by. I think he speaks my language in terms of politics. Has teh econemy down to a T and will be disapointed to miss out on shadow chancellor no doubt. Will having to dael with two missed opputunities affect balls much ? i dont think it will, he is the most combative Labour Mp i know of today and will give terresa May a real grilling. From seeing terresa on Newsnight this week i think Ed will have no trouble picking her off with little work. I raellly think we havent seen the last of Ed balls on the big stage and i wish him all the best.


Andy Burnham - Shadow Education Secretary

One of the appointments i was most pleased with. Andy burnham another character similar to Ed balls, got my second preference in the leadership elections, will take on Gove like a dog going after a bone. If ed balls wont be able to take on gove then my next choice would have been andy burnham, widely tipped to carry on his role within the healthy area moving to education will be no problem at all to the versitle andy burnham. A top MP who wears his heart on his sleave, a true labour man with its roots firmly embedded in him.

Sadiq Khan - Shadow Justice Secretary

Sadiq is a excellent MP with a bright future in politics i feel. a real up and coming star i feel. Pleased he was elected to the shadow cabinet and is good for the labour party in so many ways. Multi cultral, raches out to the ehtnic communities, speaks well, well educated, communicates very very well and will do a excellent sound job as shadow to the justice secretary.

Harriet Harman - Shadow International Development Secretary

Never can enough priase be heaped on such a fine female polititian as hariot. Easily is my favourite female MP ever and to me surpass's Maggie Tatcher, although to me that isnt hard as a true labour man.
Real expereince in politics, one of Gordon Browns people and served admirably as a acting leader since the 2010 election.
Will always be a popular figure within labour ranks and does much for women within labour and womens rights too.

Angela Eagle - Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury

Another up and coming MP with big things tipped for her, Angela and her Sister will prove to be a formidable pairing within the shadow cabinet. Used to be involved with Tony Balir a fair bit so knows her way around Westminster very well.

Douglas Alexander - Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary

Another Mp i have grown to really respect in recent times. Tipped for a future leadership job douglas will do well in teh shadow cabinet. His assesment of the last election at conference stood out for me. He is frank, honest and is labour through and through. A realistic and honest guy with his finger on the pulse as far as labours last election results went, Is one of the fore runners to project game plan and other such ventures to secure labours route back to power.

Jim Murphy - Shadow Defence Secretary

Jim is another brilliant Scotish Mp and could have been a great scotish first minister. moving into defence will suit Jim down to the ground. A fighter not only on the ground but a real tough guy on the political stage, has good back bone and will do well in this role i feel.

John Denham - Shadow Business Secretary

John has done well in recent years, built up a good reputatin amoungst labour people and i feel sure will fit in well to this role. John isnt someone i know too much about but i am sure will give his all to make this position work for him.

John Healey - Shadow Health Secretary

A excellent Mp widely respected not just within labour ranks. This positin i would have thought would have gone to Andy Burnham but if not then john healy would be my next best choice. Is sure to be briefed by andy burnham in his fight to go after Andrew Lansly of the condems. I see this is a battle labour really can win. It is related to the econemy but is a off shoot of it. The NHS must be something we do defend with everything we have. We must fight tooth and nail to keep it as it is untill we can get back to power. John is the man to make sure this happens i am sure of it.

Caroline Flint - Shadow Communities Secretary

Caroline was another shock inclusion, a very much new labour person, caroline will have her work cut out to make this position work for her, a potential loose cannon will have to be kept on side if ed is to keep a steady ship.
I think giving caroline this positin is key as communicatin is everything but i'm sure if given the freedom she will flurish.

Rosie Winterton - Chief Whip

Rosie is one of the MP's in this list i know probably the least about, i heard a interview with her on 5 live earlier and she sounded very well spoken, i am sure she will be in conversatin with Ed miliband very regulary and clearly is a Ed M person and is sure to carry out her job to the best of her ability.

Meg Hillier - Shadow Energy Secretary

A totally brilliant MP, young, enthusiastic and fresh. A new name to add to our list of top labour MP's. i follow meg on twitter and she is a family person with a key drive. To make the world a better place. Giving meg this role will be a good place to start for her to realise that plan.

i wish her all the best personally.
Maria Eagle - Shadow Transport Secretary

A tough role this as transport is facing a big pressure to reform itself. A role that can be pushed to all boundaries. With high speed rail being one of the big go areas of the condems. This is not a role that will prove a difficult role i feel, certainly not in opposition. I feel there will be a lot of agreeing with the government in this role. i think maria is up to the job but again time will tell. Not one of the biggest jobs in the shadow cabinet but no means less important to the country as a whole.

Hilary Benn - Shadow Leader of the House of Commons

Son of the great labour leftist MP Tony bBenn, Hilary is a fine Mp and will do a excellent job for labour, totally loyal and as labour as they come hilary will perform to the best of his ability and will hold the thought for Ed. One of the most loyal MP's you could hope for within politics.

Mary Creagh - Shadow Environment Secretary

A big role in this day and age with the environment and the state of the planet becoming increasingly a bigger and bigger issue. As it stands this role looks a small job but lets not pretend it is environment should matter to us all and one of Mary's biggest tasks is to get that out there that we are all affected by this in some way or another.


Ivan Lewis - Shadow Culture, Media and Sports Secretary

Another one of the lesser jobs in the cabinet but as we draw towards 2012 london olympics and the forth coming decision on the 2018 world cup bid england are going for. This is a rol that wil need to be carried out with the upmost pride and passion. I have no doubt I van Lewis is the man for this and will do a excellent job.

Peter Hain - Shadow Welsh Secretary

A funny one this one, initially not included as didnt gain enough votes, Ed miliband personally brought Peter back in. I can understand his as initially there was not a obvios choice for welsh minister. This for me is a key role, As next year 2011 Labour culd realistically take wales back if we work hard. With peter hain ther a welshman and a guy with his finger on the pulse i think this is now a real possibility.


Ann McKechin - Shadow Scottish Secretary

The clear and obvios choice in the end. Ann is one of the few scotish labour ministers and i feel will fit in well. Having a scotish person in a role for scotland will be key to appeal to the scotish people. Again labour can and will do well in scotland next year i feel if we play our cards right.

Shaun Woodward - Shadow Northern Ireland Secretary

Just like Peter hain Shaun was brought back in by Ed miliband, one of the most surprising choices in this lot of shadow cabinet members. Shaun has worked in this area before and is probably labours best choice for this area. I dont believe he will match peter mandelsons performance in this role but then again not many ever will.

Tessa Jowell - Shadow Olympics Minister

A obvios choice really already on the olympics commitee for the government Terresa is new labour but a very ambitious woman, good for labour and good for the country, works hard behind the scenes to drive things forward she believes in and with the london 2012 games around the corner terresa will have a big part to play in the delivery of a successful games for london and its legacy it will leave behind.


Liam Byrne - Shadow Cabinet Officer Minister

Liam is a excellent MP, is truely loyal and speaks a good game, his unfortunate part in leaving the letter to the next governemnt of there being no money left in the treasury was possibly not his finest moment in politics, but beyond that liam has great ability and is vital we kept him in our shadow cabinet. I really hope Ed uses him to the full and gives him his chance to stamp his mark on this opposition and the government that need pressure putting on them.

Overall i think Ed Miliband has a good group of people to work with, Clearly he didnt get to choose them this was elected by the PLP but where he did get to choose, who goes where apart from alan johnson who i would have swapped with Ed balls i think he has got this right. Of course only time will tell but i am happy with this to be going on with.

If you do read my blog you may wish to read what i have to say over the weekend when i start to outline my idea of the fair society, my answer to David camerons big society, which is dropping like a stone with the public and tories alike. My version of my own brand of new politics will be interesting to read, but is aimed to take on camerons ideas and turn them into a fairer society and a society embedded with true labour and socialist ideas.