We asked two of our political consultants to give ustheir views on Ed Miliband's recent Shadow Cabinet announcement, and a flavour of some key contests to watch in the months ahead.......
From Red Ed to Sensible Ed
So Ed Miliband has chosen his Shadow Cabinet, whilst being a David Miliband supporter in the run-up to the leadership election, I was warming towards Ed, thinking that maybe he would be able to move the party on from New Labour. After seeing his Shadow Cabinet appointments however, I am yet to be convinced.
Despite winning the most votes by far and being, and in my view the most qualified for the Shadow Chancellorship, Yvette Cooper was appointed as Shadow Foreign Secretary. Instead Ed Miliband appointed former postman Alan Johnson – the safe option, the easier to control option, possibly the keeping the seat warm for David option. Yvette Cooper was also appointed Shadow Minister for Equalities, yet it seems to me that rather than being a champion for equality Cooper is scared to step out of her husband’s shadow.
Balls takes on the role of Shadow Home Secretary, in my view one of Miliband’s best appointments, and Teresa May should be shaking in her leopard-print kitten heels at the prospect of a showdown.
Caroline Flint, who during her time as housing minister introduced new shared ownership and equity schemes and who is known for her outspoken views, takes the Shadow Cabinet role at the DCLG.
Burnham takes education, and Healey who came 2nd in the Shadow Cabinet elections takes health - both safe and sensible options.
Evidence that Ed Miliband is looking to the future however is in his appointment of several new MPs as junior ministers, including Chukka Umunna the Streatham MP who has been hailed as ‘Britain’s Barack Obama’ and named by the Economist as one of the 8 new MPs to watch.
He’s been called ‘Red Ed’, from his Cabinet appointments I see ‘Sensible Ed’, but when are we going to see ‘Progressive Ed’?
Anna Mitra
Labour Consultant
Christmas comes early for Mr Miliband
Parliament reconvenes this week after a lively conference season and the beginning of the end of the coalition government’s honeymoon.
Reports that Mr Cameron is rubbing his hands with glee following ‘Red Ed’s’ surprise victory over his brother are likely to be short lived following a canny set of cabinet appointments.
Whilst the political pundits got all hot and bothered about the surprise appointment of Alan Johnson to Shadow Chancellor, what most missed was Ed’s opening up of a second front with the positioning of Ed Balls to face the Home Secretary Theresa May. The Home affairs brief is almost always the most unpredictable and whilst Mrs May has surprised many by an adroit handling of the brief many considered too big for her, she will neither enjoy nor respond well to the pressure Balls will bring. Not only has he demonstrated that he is not the one trick treasury pony many expected him to be by being a robust and energetic education secretary, almost out Blairing Blair in this field; he has been one of the nimblest and most effective labour M.P.s to handle the transition from power to opposition, causing serious damage to Michael Gove on the way. Labour’s very own semi-trained polecat will ruthlessly exploit the differences between the Liberals and Conservatives in the government as well as being merciless in highlighting any failings – real or perceived.
The positioning of the former postman Alan Johnson against ‘never had a real job’ Osborne ahead of the necessary cuts is also a neat trick from a labour perspective. The Conservatives have, so far, failed to successfully get the message across as to why the heavily trailed cuts are necessary and with Johnson in place as Osborne’s shadow, Labour is well positioned to benefit from an empathy with the country over the cuts they really do not deserve.
The other ‘one to watch’ is Sadiq Khan who will be facing both Ken Clark and Nick Clegg. My guess is that he will be quick to out-tough Clarke on the justice brief and will ruthlessly exploit the gaping splits between the Conservatives and Liberals on the political and constitutional reforms currently rumbling through the Houses. Whilst the threat of a full scale Conservative revolt over AV is receding, prepare to enjoy the spectacle of Khan shamelessly highlighting the unease and mutual dislike on the green benches opposite him on this issue.
With tuition fees, electoral reform and the spending review coming up over the next 10 weeks, it will not be long before the Michaelmas term cannot end fast enough for the Con Dem coalition whereas ‘Red Ed’ could be forgiven for thinking that all his Christmases had arrived early.
Frank Browne
Conservative Consultant
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