Shadow cabinet:

If Labour were looking for a replacement for Ed Ball's position they found one.

The position of Giant Vote Losing Bellend.

I like Tom Watson though.

I have mixed views on Corbyn. And sorry Velvet but I don't see it as being anything positive or negative that there are more women than men in the cabinet. It could just be he thought certain people were right for certain roles and if that meant more women than men, or men than women, then that's his prerogative. I could be wrong though and will admit if that turns out to be the case.

The cost of retaining Burnham/Benn/Falconer was undoubtedly their high profile roles. If JC hadn't achieved that then his opponents and the media would be all over him for failing to garner support from across the party. Some high profile women ruled themselves out of course.

It is a hugely positive move that there are more women than men in the shadow cabinet - i would have thought that defence, health and education were some pretty big roles. I also very much admire the fact that he has appointed a shadow minister for mental health - not something that has been done before afaik.

Oh dear

Here is the full Shadow Cabinet who's who(?) with pictures to help, the numbers across the bottom of the photo and height chart have been removed at great expense, using CGI.

Who's who in Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn's shadow cabinet

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-34241395

More anti-Corbyn media spin re the 'lack of women' in the shadow cabinet. 50% females appointed, and Defence, Education, Business Health; all gone to women. Who in the right mind would argue that these portfolios are either unimportant or stereotypically female?

The desperate slurs continue. Grasping. At. Straws.

I wish the right-wing press would at least wait for actual policy announcements to attack.

Chillie - my mistake, JC has indeed appointed a woman as Health Sec.

First Secretary of State title, although honoury, is important, as the link below explains and shows - is often bestowed on 'big beasts' within the party as an acknowledgement of their importance - and Ms eagle is more likely to take PMQT that Mr Corbyn appears to have little appetite for.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Secretary_of_State

A lot of the most obvious choices threw their toys out of the pram and launched themselves to the backbench

Agree that not giving AE Shadow Chancellor job though was a mistake - although First Sec of State is a high role?

Corbyn as the leader has had to reach out to the other wings/factions within the parliamentary Labour Party so probably didn't have the gender options he might have liked - so an early example of once the leader of a party, there often has to be compromises from previous back-bench rhetoric.

As a historic 'party of the people' I would argue that Health and Education are THE top jobs, as it affects every individual, family, and our future - worrying about lone voice Foreign matters when their Corbyn wants a policy of isolation by NOT wanting to be in Nato, or have an army to have any influence abroad (or at home) - is a nonsense.

Why is a Home office important, if the leader wants to be out of the EU, yet want relationships with less savour characters around the world, while opening our borders to the worlds refugees.

Why is Chancellor important, when any fool of a politician can spend money the UK hasn't got?

Corbyn cannot totally blank the media when they ask basic questions if he thinks that they should know the answer e.g. on shadow cabinet appointments, as if to be 'inclusive' to the party there are less women NOW, then so be it - especially as so many women resigned - as as a leader, stating the bleed'in' obvious should be the easiest part of the job. IMO.

Health isn't one of the big four, and he has actually appointed a woman there (Heidi Alexander). The big four in a shadow cabinet are leader, home, foreign and chancellor. Although since there's a male deputy leader as well, that's the top five posts all men, but to be fair Corbyn didn't have a say in that one.

Foreign, home, health and chancellor i.e. The Big Four: all men!

Angela Eagle was being touted as a possible shadow chancellor. She's now shadow business secretary.

Are there no women who could have filled these posts?

So none of the top jobs in the Labour shadow cabinet have gone to women. I will be interested to see Owen Jones' response to this one - he must surely see it as an instant betrayal, especially when he was so very definite that half of the top jobs should go to women. But really, given Corbyn's brand of Labour/the Left is anyone really surprised by this?

Did anyone hear The Westminster Hour on Radio 4 last night? Mike Gapes, Labour MP for Ilford South, was heroically trying to reassure people that things would be okay with Corbyn in charge. Then he was told that John McDonnell is the Shadow Chancellor. His response was a pause, "Are you sure?" then incoherent stuttering.