Corbyn appoints his shadow cabinet
John McDonnell, the new Shadow Chancellor.
Congratulations to John McDonnell, in particular, on his appointment as Shadow Chancellor.
Mr McDonnell is a close ally of Jeremy Corbyn and a man who is not afraid to stand up for his beliefs. Reports state that Angela Eagle could have been offered the job, but This Writer is glad that Mr McDonnell took it instead – even if it has led to gripes that nobody in the ‘top four’ jobs is a woman.
Instead, Ms Eagle has been named Shadow Business Secretary and Shadow First Secretary of State, meaning she will stand in for Mr Corbyn at Prime Minister’s Questions when David Cameron is away.
According to the BBC:
Defeated leadership rival Andy Burnham is shadow home secretary, while Hilary Benn remains shadow foreign secretary. Other confirmed appointments are:
- Lucy Powell, who was Ed Miliband’s general election coordinator, will be shadow education secretary
- Lewisham MP Heidi Alexander will take over from Mr Burnham as shadow health secretary
- Lord Falconer, a former flat mate of ex-PM Tony Blair, will continue as shadow justice secretary
- Seema Malhotra is shadow chief secretary to the Treasury
- Diane Abbott is made shadow minister for international development
- Shadow Northern Ireland secretary is Vernon Coaker
- Rosie Winterton to continue as chief whip
- Ian Murray to continue as shadow Scottish secretary.
This Writer – and no doubt readers of This Blog – will be particularly interested to see who is chosen as Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary.
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Unfortunatley I believe that Corbyne is the wrong man for the Leader of the Labour Party, This is Bourne out by his Appointment of John McDonald as his Shadow Chancellor purely on the basis of being closer Friend.I have voted Labour all my Life sadly I DONOT think this will be the case in the future, he wants to leave these island of ours defenceless, allow more migrants into the country and not allow the citizens of this GreatCountry a say on Europe. These among many other of his misguided ideas that I along with many other I suspect will no longer be able to give Labour our Votes.
“Unfortunatley I believe that Corbyne”
You mean ‘Corbyn’?
“This is Bourne out by his Appointment of John McDonald”
You mean ‘McDonnell’?
“as his Shadow Chancellor purely on the basis of being closer Friend”
The impression I got was that he appointed him because he knows McDonnell is good at economics, plus he rejects the neoliberal pseudo-financial gobbledegook that led us to the mess we’re in at the moment. Being a friend helps as well as it means Corbyn also knows he and McDonnell can work together, which is by no means a given among other Labour MPs who are throwing their toys out of the pram about seeing someone from the real Left running the Party.
“he wants to leave these island of ours defenceless”
No he doesn’t. He wants us to withdraw from NATO, because it is clearly an obsolete organisation that has turned into the official legitimiser of US hegemony, and he wants us to scrap Trident because it’s an enormous waste of resources for something we don’t even need, and will never use. Even without NATO or Trident, we will not be ‘defenceless’.
“allow more migrants into the country and not allow the citizens of this GreatCountry a say on Europe.”
He wants to allow REFUGEES into the country, because if we don’t let them in, they will, sort of, die. As for a say on Europe, he is quite firmly in favour of the referendum on the EU that David Cameron has pledged. For the most part, Corbyn has always been something of a Euro-skeptic, and even in the last few months he didn’t rule out campaigning for a an Exit vote, at least for a while.
“I have voted Labour all my Life….. These among many other of his misguided ideas that I along with many other I suspect will no longer be able to give Labour our Votes.”
How long is all your life, may I ask, because if a return to traditional Labour policies turns you off, it sounds like you started voting while Tony Blair was in charge?
Yes, Jeremy Corbyn’s far left shadow chancellor John McDonnell is a joke – City A.M.
Not quite the joke that ‘Gardy Loo’ Gideon is, with his OBR/ONS rigged Stastistics:
Labour’s new line-up won’t worry the Government
”Documents obtained under the Freedom of Information Act today clearly suggest that, despite the rules stating the Treasury may only intervene on disputes of “factual” accuracy, officials have repeatedly leaned on the OBR to paint the figures in a rosier hue.
A chummy email published in The Times from a Treasury mandarin to the OBR reads: “It won’t come as a surprise, I’m sure, but we haven’t strictly stuck to the ‘factual changes only’ requests so we’re giving you our full download and suggestions… As usual, we would be very grateful if you could consider these and the phrasing around a lot of this.”
http://www.standard.co.uk/business/jim-armitage-labour-s-new-line-up-won-t-worry-the-government-a2946971.html
It has cost us already £5BN in blackmail from the EU, to allow this creep to con the people:
Dump them with the Tory’s.
The grumbles about there being no women in the big four roles are very selective complaints. The problem is that the most prominent women in the Labour Party have quite publicly, and even a little rudely, insisted they will not work with Corbyn. They’ve put him in a hopeless position on the gender score. One person I’m quite sure would have been in one of the big roles was Yvette Cooper (not that I necessarily think she merits it), and another was maybe even Harriet Harman. But both of them have distanced themselves from Corbyn in different ways.
The whole attitude of the ‘liberal’ (read: Tory) wing of the Labour Party is completely wrong.
i would think that stella creasy might get that role mike i like her and have put her name forward to JC team
Dear Nick,
Thank you for your support of the Corbyn campaign. We are very happy to see such dedication to Jeremy in such a strong way and we are deeply grateful for such amazing support, especially from people with such a knowledgeable background.
Kind regards,
Fiona
Team Jeremy
The Guardian reckons it will go to Owen Smith. You might remember him – he and I had a rather large disagreement after he admitted that Labour (pre-election) was scared of the Tory press, and this was the reason Labour policy meant sick and disabled people would continue to suffer discrimination and death. He didn’t put it in as many words, but that was what he meant.
Owen Smith would be a disaster for the British people.
Was this disagreement via email or what?
No, there was an article here. Haven’t I linked to it already?
Sorry, for some reason when I comment with this account it takes ages to show up.
Actually, I’m sorry – for reasons known only to WordPress, your comments keep getting dropped in the spam file, and I keep having to fish them out.
Very strange :s
And it has happened again.
Oh Dear, Owen Smith HAS been appointed as shadow Work and Pensions secretary which fills me with no confidence at all:-
http://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/24797/owen_smith/pontypridd/votes
How Owen Smith voted on Welfare and Benefits #
Almost always voted against reducing housing benefit for social tenants deemed to have excess bedrooms (which Labour describe as the “bedroom tax”) Show votes
We don’t have enough information to calculate Owen Smith’s position on raising welfare benefits at least in line with prices. Show votes
We don’t have enough information to calculate Owen Smith’s position on paying higher benefits over longer periods for those unable to work due to illness or disability. Show votes
We don’t have enough information to calculate Owen Smith’s position on making local councils responsible for helping those in financial need afford their council tax and reducing the amount spent on such support. Show votes
Generally voted against a reduction in spending on welfare benefits Show votes
Almost always voted for spending public money to create guaranteed jobs for young people who have spent a long time unemployed
another reason why I will no longer be able to vote for Corbyn, he has been documented as saying That the UK and Argentina should have joint administration of these Islands, Sorry Mr Corbyn we did not Fight for the people of those Island who in a recent Referendum to remain British, just for you to allow Argentina back, you are saying to your Collegues that a Fair and proper election put you in your Place as Leader, the Falkland Islanders held a Referendum that was just as Fair, RRESPECT THEIR WISHES AND THE SAILORS AND SOLDIERS WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES.
When did he say that? Quote me a reference, please.
Oh – did you read it in the Torygraph and the Daily Heil, by any chance?
The grammar would imply that it was the Daily Heil.
You forgot the Express…
I would love to forget the Express. ;-)
What he actually said was that a a “degree of joint administration” while “retaining British nationality” MIGHT resolve the conflict over the Falkland Islands.
He has not committed to it as a policy, but has suggested it as a starting point for negotiations with the Argentine Government. Given this matter keeps moving back into the middle of debate every few years, it is clear that it won’t just go away, so Corbyn is quite right to address it.
@dave514
“RRESPECT (sic) THEIR WISHES AND THE SAILORS AND SOLDIERS WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES.”………………..The sailors and soldiers who gave up their lives in order to win Thatcher her second term. Thatcher was warned for over year that removal of naval support could lead to an Argentinian invasion, she knew that and engineered the Falklands conflict for her own political advantage.
for goodness sake. what will Corbyn’s enemies come out with next? as far as i know he never said anything about leaving our shores undefended. again quotes please. he talks about stopping or rather not starting wars with other countries meaning our soldiers would be more likely to be here than in foreign lands surely.
and a question…….. i thought Lords were not allowed in the commons?? thought they belonged in the house of Lords? so why this?Lord Falconer, a former flat mate of ex-PM Tony Blair, will continue as shadow justice secretary…. correct me if i am wrong tho i am sure tats how it USED to be. maybe i missed a change of policy. nothing against the man. just need to know.
Ministers can come from either House.
thanks Mike.
Owen Smith appointed as Secretary of State for Work and Pensions! Jesus Christ! I really hoped John McDonnell would have snagged that post. Carreerist and Yes-man Owen Smith as a potential Secretary of State for Work and Pensions! Kind of giving the job to Emma Reynolds in drag. Blimey!
I hope Debbie Abrahams gets Shadow Work & Pensions secretary
http://www.debbieabrahams.org.uk/
It’s gone to Owen Smith!
This is a disaster for the sick and disabled
why mike ? Debbie would have been better Stella more neutral whats so wrong with Owen other then mo one knows him ?
Read: Work Capability Assessment fuss shows Labour must change its ways http://wp.me/p4Sru1-2Vb
I know he’s Welsh but …
2nd paragraph, ‘when David Cameron is away’ ?
So it’s just me that thinks it should say “when he’s away” meaning JC, not DC!
Wasn’t Debbie Abrahams even considered/offered the role of Secretary of State for DWP ?
She would have been a superb choice as she’s up to speed on all to do with their failings and she has no problem in airing her opinion and taking IDS to task.
What is the Labour party thinking…………………Owen Smith ?!!!!
Debbie Abrahams MP is on the Work and Pensions Committee which rules her out i’m told
Debbie Abrahams is on the Work and Pensions Select Committee she can do more damage to IDS there than she would be able to as Shadow DWP Secretary.
Foggy, i agree. Debbie Abrahams seems to be the only person who understands welfare legislation, other than IDS. ESA regulations have been universally misinterpreted and i am struggling to convey this online, without help or online access. It took me a long time to understand the whole puzzle and i am desperate to explain it before the new reforms punish us even further, for being disabled.
Please would you urgently ask this question for me, using the FoI Act, of IDS, as follows; WILL YOU CONFIRM OR DENY THAT ESA REGULATION 29 PLACES A CLAIMANT IN THE SUPPORT GROUP?
This question is about the determination OF regulation 29 and not the determination FOR it. IDS cannot dodge this answer and will not lie.
Thank you very, very much!
J53young, as far as I’m aware, Reg 29, of which superseded Reg 25, places a claimant into the WRAG.
Reg 35, of which superseded Reg 31, places a claimant into the Support group.
There is more information on these Regs on the Black Triangle website or you can nip over to http://www.dsiel.org/forum/index.php where you can find more information to help you
Foggy, no, ESA regulation 29 superseded IB regulation 27 and precedes Universal Credit regulation 25. It still means exceptional circumstances and places a claimant in the Support Group. There is NO reliable information or advice on any website about ESA regulation 29 and i need someone’s help to force IDS to clarify the facts urgently! Thank you
Mike, do you think it may be possible that it was under Ed Miliband’s rule that the party was afraid of the Tory press? Do we know if Owen Jones may tell a different story under Jeremy Corbyn’s reign? Or is this just wishful thinking on my part?
Owen Jones is a leftie journalist. You mean Owen Smith. As I often mix up the surnames myself, I’m now wondering whether I applied the wrong one… but it’s too late now to look as I have to be up early tomorrow.
I think we’re going to have to wait and see what happens. I have little faith that we can expect the kind of flair that will be needed to see off Iain Duncan Smith and his cronies, though.
Oops, what a mistake to make – I have great respect for Owen Jones, apologies to him for the muddle, but it was late last night!
I don’t know much about Owen Smith though – as you say, Mike, we can only wait and see what happens. Glad to see John McDonnell in as Shadow Chancellor though.