As part of this week’s coverage of the Labour party conference, I’m tipping a few outsider-ish names to win election to the shadow cabinet next week. I’m not including the “usual suspects”, but that ushers in the question who it is that will definitely be there.
It is widely believed that “all” of the five leadership contenders will be in, though I am told Diane Abbott will not stand and risk defeat. Given that there are no unelected appointments to the shadow cabinet, that means she is likely to remain on the back-benches criticising fromt he side-lines and pursuing her national media profile. But of course the losing Miliband, Ed Balls — whether he is or isn’t shadow chancellor — and Andy Burnham can all expect senior roles.
So, too, can Yvette Cooper, described by MPs as “the darling of the PLP [Parliamentary Labour Party]”. She, though, may also have forfeited her role as shadow chancellor by backing Balls’s position on the deficit. Harriet Harman is the only person other than the leader ensured a shadow cabinet role, thanks to her position as the elected deputy leader. She tells me in an interview for this week’s magazine that she will “probably” take on a seperate portfolio as well. There are other certs, such as Jim Murphy.
But of course, the question of who gets which jobs depends on who is leader. Which brings me to my final name to watch: Douglas Alexander, tipped by Tony Blair in his book ‘A Journey’ as a potential future Labour leader. The articulate former international development secretary is at the heart of what I first termed “Next labour”, and close to both Miliband brothers. He first met Ed Miliband — with whom Alexander traveled to Bangladesh last year — 20 years ago in David Miliband’s kitchen, and having agonised over which to back opted for David and, with Murphy, is running the elder brother’s campaign. If David Miliband wins, I would not be surprised if he took on the new leader’s former role as shadow foreign secretary. If Ed Miliband wins however, that post would appear to be the only one he could appoint his brother to, as a continuation. That’s if David sticks around.
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