Ed Miliband proposes ending ShadCab elections

[Silent Hunter]

Surprised no-one's put a thread up on this yet...

[Insula Dei]

What's his argumentation? I must say that, as a non-Labour member, ShadCab elections always seemed like a recipe that wasn't necessarily the best one to compose a Front Bench.

[Silent Hunter]

What's his argumentation?

That it would allow Labour to more effectively focus on opposition and preparing for government.

[Swedish Rainbow Capitalist Cheese]

A politician who proposes to increase his own power at the expense of his party. I'm shocked, who could ever imagine such a thing.

In all honesty though, I think this isn't such a bad idea. The leader of the opposition will always have to answer for what his shadow-ministers do and say. In the media and electorate's eyes he is responisble for all controversial views members of his team hold and all of their actions. So I think it's only fair he should get to pick that team himself.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

A politician who proposes to increase his own power at the expense of his party. I'm shocked, who could ever imagine such a thing.

It's even less shocking than that; a politician who proposes to increase his own power at the expense of his parliamentary party.

Anyways, I'm in favour. ShadCab elections are fun and all that, but a couple of duds always end up getting elected, often at the expense of more credible candidates. And in these strange times with no clearly defined and well organised factions (factionalism being more diffuse these days), the logical justification for an elected ShadCab doesn't seem applicable. Of course there will also be downsides (presuming that this happens).

[minionofmidas]

Why do all these positions need to be "shadowed"? Can't the parliamentary party just have spokespersons on this and that subject (organized along the lines of committees perhaps?), elected separately by position?

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Why do all these positions need to be "shadowed"?

Because of the convention that the Official Opposition is Tomorrows Government, basically.

[Insula Dei]

Why do all these positions need to be "shadowed"?

Because of the convention that the Official Opposition is Tomorrows Government, basically.

Is there always a 100% identity relation between the current Shadow Cabinet and the next Cabinet? Or are some people replaced after an election victory?

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Is there always a 100% identity relation between the current Shadow Cabinet and the next Cabinet? Or are some people replaced after an election victory?

Its always been understood that election to the Shadow Cabinet doesn't guarantee a place in the actual Cabinet if Labour wins an election.

[Swedish Rainbow Capitalist Cheese]

Why do all these positions need to be "shadowed"?

Because of the convention that the Official Opposition is Tomorrows Government, basically.

Is there always a 100% identity relation between the current Shadow Cabinet and the next Cabinet? Or are some people replaced after an election victory?

Well I know Theresa May was promoted when the coalition took office. She was never shadow Home Secretary.

[Silent Hunter]

Why do all these positions need to be "shadowed"?

Because of the convention that the Official Opposition is Tomorrows Government, basically.

Is there always a 100% identity relation between the current Shadow Cabinet and the next Cabinet? Or are some people replaced after an election victory?

Well I know Theresa May was promoted when the coalition took office. She was never shadow Home Secretary.

However, George Osborne was Shadow Chancellor, as was Gordon Brown before the 1997 election.

[RogueBeaver]

Good for him. Electing a Shadow Cabinet just seems nonsensical in my view.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

The PLP has backed him; 196 in favour of abolishing shadcab elections, 41 against. Pretty overwhelming. Will have to be rubberstamped at Conference, of course.

[You kip if you want to...]

As long as there's a few fresh faces (Berger, Umunna, etc.) and an extra Miliband come the reshuffle in 2012, I don't really care.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

As long as there's a few fresh faces (Berger, Umunna, etc.) and an extra Miliband come the reshuffle in 2012, I don't really care.

Heh. It certainly makes it easier to bring his brother into ShadCab if that's where his brother would like to be.

[Peter]

Is there always a 100% identity relation between the current Shadow Cabinet and the next Cabinet? Or are some people replaced after an election victory?

Its always been understood that election to the Shadow Cabinet doesn't guarantee a place in the actual Cabinet if Labour wins an election.

The Blair Cabinet of 97 was slightly different to that of the Shadow Cabinet from before the election, e.g. Michael Meacher, who Blair refused to appoint to Cabinet rank.

Theres no requirement that an opposition shadow the government exactly, see for example Michael Howard's Shadow Cabinet, which included the prosaic titles of "Deregulation Secretary" and "Family Secretary"

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Derek Foster as well, though he was one of the appointed members. Meacher, incidentally, had a brief appearance (as himself) in eighties conspiracy thriller Edge of Darkness. Presumably Blair wasn't a fan.