Corbyn’s decision not to bring back shadow cabinet elections is the right call

The Labour leadership candidate would maintain the vital power of patronage, rather than bringing back the system abolished by Ed Miliband.

By George Eaton

(Photo By Memorabilia supporting Jeremy Corbyn ahead of his arrival to address party supporters on August 18, 2015 in Middlesbrough. Photograph: Getty Images.)

Shadow cabinet elections have been reported to be among the policies that Jeremy Corbyn intends to resurrect from Labour’s past. But as I report in my cover story in this week’s magazine, that’s not the case. The Labour leadership candidate has resolved that he will maintain the right to appoint his own team, rather than having it elected by MPs (as was the case before Ed Miliband changed the system in 2011).

In his own column in this week’s NS, Corbyn writes: “Whoever emerges as leader on 12 September needs a shadow cabinet in place as soon as possible. I will appoint a strong, diverse shadow cabinet to hold this government to account from day one.” Labour MPs had warned that there would be no time for Corbyn to change the procedure in time for him to appoint a new team by 13 September (the day after the result is announced).