Hain bags shadow Cabinet role despite losing vote
By Alex Stevenson and Peter Wozniak
Ed Miliband has ignored the results of Labour’s shadow Cabinet elections by appointing Peter Hain to the Wales portfolio.
The former Welsh secretary, who was a prominent supporter of Ed Miliband during the recent leadership election campaign, did not get enough votes to make it into the opposition party’s frontbench team.
But Mr Miliband used the lack of Welsh MPs in the shadow Cabinet to justify his inclusion after all.
Other unsuccessful candidates did not find themselves in luck. Also failing in the elections was fifth-placed leadership contender Diane Abbott in the race for the minimum six shadow Cabinet posts reserved for women.
In fact eight women made it through. The Eagle sisters, Maria and Angela, were joined by Caroline Flint, Meg Hillier, Tessa Jowell, Yvette Cooper, Ann McKechin and Mary Creagh.
Other prominent casualties who featured in Gordon Brown’s government included ex-shadow business secretary Pat McFadden, former culture, media and sport secretary Ben Bradshaw and ex-Northern Ireland secretary Shaun Woodward.
Former Europe minister Chris Bryant, ex-schools minister Vernon Coaker and former Treasury minister Stephen Timms all failed to gather enough support from Labour MPs.
But David Miliband’s campaign manager Sadiq Khan made the cut, as did Ivan Lewis, John Denham and Liam Byrne.
The latter came 19th in the elections, attracting the support of just 100 MPs. It was enough to secure his place, despite having embarrassed his party by leaving a note on leaving the Treasury telling his successor ‘there’s no money left’.
Emily Thornberry, a self-confessed former “bag-carrier” in the Department of Energy and Climate Change, missed out by one vote.
Leader Ed Miliband has defied all media expectations by appointing Alan Johnson as shadow chancellor despite Ed Balls and Yvette Cooper being widely tipped for the role.
Labour only elects its frontbench teams when in opposition and it a sign that Mr Milband is intending to stamp his own authority on his team by shifting Ms Cooper to foreign affairs and by ignoring the result of the election to include Mr Hain.
The last shadow Cabinet elections took place in 1994, with Gordon Brown and Margaret Beckett coming in third and second overall behind former foreign secretary Robin Cook.
