Healey and Denham depart the shadow Cabinet
James Forsyth 6:57pm
John Healey and John Denham have resigned from the shadow Cabinet ahead of Ed
Miliband’s reshuffle.
Healey is, officially, departing for family reasons. But I doubt that many of those closest to Miliband will particularly mind his departure. I expect that Miliband may also take this chance to move Andy Burnham, who knows the health brief from his time in government and is an effective if one dimensional media performer, from education into the health brief.
These two resignations free up a couple of the big shadow Cabinet jobs as Miliband prepares to shuffle his pack. It is almost certain that the Labour leader, who has just won himself complete control over shadow Cabinet appointments, will promote members of the 2010 intake to the full shadow Cabinet. Many in the leader’s office are attracted to the idea of presenting a new, fresher face for Labour which would emphasise his ‘new generation’ theme.
Previous
Scrobs...
October 6th, 2011 8:45pm Report this comment"who knows the health brief from his time in government and is an effective if one dimensional media performer, from education into the health brief."
Come on! He was in junior style work experience in some outreach health quango before he eventually got paid more in a 'bigger' job in the last government!
Not someone I'd trust with management of such a huge requirement for skills and judgement.
Tim R
October 6th, 2011 8:57pm Report this commentAndy Burnham an effective TV performer?
The guy's as wooden as an Ed Milliband speech
Baroness Helena Handcart QC
October 6th, 2011 10:06pm Report this commentAnd those eyebrows...
D Shaw
October 7th, 2011 2:07am Report this commentI think the lady above means eyelashes.
By contrast to Burnham's physical appeal, only a system such as the UK's would allow an odious-looking man like Healey to become a government minister and senior politician.
A complete apparatchik with even less sense of political purpose and belief than Blair.
In Alabama, a black candidate would be elected ahead of him!
Mrs. M L Bonwick-Jones
October 7th, 2011 7:08am Report this commentHe does need to replace a rather lot of Ministers such as the Shadow Justice and Shadow Education Ministers
I believe Rachel Reeves who was a Bank of England Economist is up for a position on the front bench, as long as he remembers they cannot all be novices!
I am also slightly worried by his attitude,
he believes his new team will get him into No10, It should always be the best people for the job, not the people who will make him seem the best, you are only as good as your team but what if you are not as good as your team, does he believe he will become Prime Minister by default!
Anne Wotana Kaye 1
October 7th, 2011 12:23pm Report this commentTim R
October 6th, 2011 8:57pm
I always thought he looks like a ventriloquist's doll, with artificial eyelashes.
Back to top