The full list of MPs standing for the shadow cabinet has been published — 49 names in all, or roughly a fifth of the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP).
David Miliband has wisely decided to withdraw from the front bench to avoid the media’s “perpetual, distracting and destructive attempts to find division where there is none, and splits where they don’t exist”. Jack Dromey, former Labour Party treasurer, new MP and husband of Harriet Harman, isn’t running.
But Diane Abbott, the MP for Hackney and former Labour leadership contender and PLP lefty, has put her name forward. It’s a risky strategy for Diane — she came fifth in the leadership race and isn’t the most popular of MPs.
But, of the names we know, here’s what I’d do if I was Ed Miliband (assuming these people, below, are even elected!), with some of the jobs (and in no particular order):
Shadow deputy prime minister (new job!) — Alan Johnson
Shadow chancellor — Ed Balls
Shadow foreign secretary — Peter Hain
Shadow home secretary — Sadiq Khan
Shadow health secretary — Andy Burnham
Shadow education secretary — Yvette Cooper
Shadow defence secretary — Eric Joyce
Shadow justice secretary — John Denham
Shadow Cabinet Office minister — David Lammy
Shadow business secretary — Liam Byrne
Shadow communities secretary — Hilary Benn
Shadow work and pensions secretary — Caroline Flint
Shadow energy and climate change secretary — Douglas Alexander
Shadow international development secretary — Jim Murphy
Shadow environment secretary — Emily Thornberry
Shadow transport secretary — John Healey
This is not at all scientific, and lacks the required number of women (!).
Paul Waugh has done his own list here.
So, who would you appoint and what jobs would give them?