Labour shadow cabinet

[longfingernails]

Ben Bradshaw, Peter Hain, Shaun Woodward and Chris Bryant all out! All of them were universally useless - the PLP has at least done some good!

I haven't really heard of Ivan Lewis, Ann McKetchin and Mary Creagh does anyone have any idea who they are and if they are any good?

Smee - well tell me what cuts they do support, cos I'll be buggared if can get a straight answer.

RainbowRainbow I hope that wasn't the case with Yvette.

She may still have women's role though so not total waste.

Who will be shadowing Nick Clegg?

LItchick, well the election manifesto idea was to halve the deficit in four years and they all signed up to that, though Ed Balls during leadership campaign reckoned that might be too fast. Don't know the nitty gritty, but they'll have to come clean once the coalition announce the plans in two weeks.

Surely Harriet Harmon will be shadowing NC?

Smee - I know they signed up to the manifesto but since they lost, they've seriously back tracked.

During the leadership hustings, there was no acceptance of overspending. Complete opposition of the governemt's cuts. And no alternative suggestions made.

At some point Labour will need to explain how they will reduce the 'structural deficit' - the bit the Coalition say won't go away with economic growth. Maybe they disagree about it's existence but we need Labour to explain why.

I think now we know why Ed won the contest... he's got a really nasty streak. Putting Balls, Cooper and Johnson in roles that they are patently unsuited for means he can groom his newbies to do things Ed's Way, sack the Iraq-war-financial-mess-guilty old guard when they fall on their faces... and then go at the new election with 'The Nothing Like New Labour Labour'. :)

Chil - that's certainly the most credible reasoning so far . Very odd otherwise.

According to the Guardian the appointment of Alan Johnson is a 'signal that he intends to assert his own authority on Labour's economic policy, reducing the risk of the splits that marred the Brown-Blair era.' Its also to placate David Miliband's supporters as AJ was the first to declare support for David.

BLEURGH Jim Murphy at Defence, remember him as NUS president.

But why do they keep referring to Yvette Cooper as "wife of Ed Balls" ffs. She came top of the vote, why can't they call him husband of Yvette Cooper.....

Aside from that, quite pleased with Burnham at education.
Alan Johnson v interesting choice for Chancellor, not so pleased with his reaction on the news, it was a bit sort of unconvincing. Need real fire against Osborne.

Litchick, in his conference speech, Ed Milliband clearly said he won't oppose all cuts. The argument they're making (I think ) is against the speed and brutality of the cuts and their belief it's not the best way to fix things as it could tip us into a double dip recession. From what I've seen none of the candidates for leadership ever denied the deficit, or that cuts need to be made.

I wonder if either YC or EB were offered Chancellor and turned it down before it went to Alan Johnson.

escorchio - absolutely.

I'm surprised at Burnham, I'm surprised at Johnson. Johnson seems like a top bloke, a clever man - but with two such good prospective shadow Chancellors in Balls and Cooper, why he was picked is beyond me.

Because Johnson's a gruff 'man of the people' and George Osborne is a 'shiny toff'. It's PR. But he will be like the ventriloquist's dummy... Ed's hand up his back and Johnson mouthing the words. Balls and Cooper were an intellectual threat... they actually know something about economics!

The rest have clearly been told 'everyone apologise for Iraq if you're asked' . If one more shadow minister says 'it was wrong and now we just have to move on'... I'll kick the radio.

I don't think I can bear the thought of caroline flint back.

I repeat- Copper woll be the next Labour PM; my favourite anyway

But it was wrong and now we do just have to move on .

Yes, Flint needs to fuck off. I mean that kindly. Sort of.

Surprised about Ben Bradshaw. I always thought that he was a good communicator?

Chil1234 You are probably right about PR, but I thought pitching a real working momagainst Osborne would have been a coup.

I think Theresa May has been fantastic - at least as far as the Home Affairs brief goes (let's ignore her putting through Harriet Harman's awful thoughtcrime bill as part of her Equalities brief).

I used to think she was a bit too wet, but she has become brilliant recently. I really respect her. In her Home Office role, I can't think of a single thing she's done wrong.

TM is a good egg, i think

LF - is there anything the tories could do that you wouldnt agree with?

Don't get the Johnson decision at all. He comes across as affable but not as a fighter - the chancellor should be able to stick the knife into Osborne.

LF - did you not see Theresa May on Newsnight on Wednesday? It was toe-curlingly awful. Only topped by Baroness Warsi's inept SHOUTING performance on Question Time last night. Only 4 women in cabinet and 2 of them are clearly out of their depth. What a shame for the Tory sisterhood.