Labour Party: Shadow Cabinet changes

Ed Miliband MP, Leader of the Labour Party, today appointed Ed Balls as Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer.

It follows the resignation of Alan Johnson, who has stepped down for personal reasons to do with his family.

Yvette Cooper moves to become Shadow Home Secretary alongside her responsibilities for women and equalities.

Douglas Alexander moves to become Shadow Foreign Secretary.

Liam Byrne becomes Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions alongside his responsibilities for the Labour Party policy review.

Tessa Jowell becomes Shadow Minister for the Cabinet Office alongside her responsibilities for the Olympics.

Click here to see the full Shadow Cabinet.

Ed Miliband said:

“It is with great regret that I have accepted the resignation of Alan Johnson.

“As Shadow Chancellor and a politician who held five Cabinet positions, Alan showed real leadership on issues that mattered to families across our country, warning of the dangers posed by the government’s gamble on growth and jobs, promoting educational opportunity and delivering neighbourhood policing.

“Ed Balls is an outstanding economist and is hugely qualified to take our economic message to the country.

“In Yvette, Douglas, Liam and Tessa, we have a team which combines extensive experience in government and determination in opposition.

“I am proud that Labour has a strong, confident Shadow Cabinet that will expose the mistakes of this Conservative-led government.

“Together we will put the economy at the forefront of our argument as we work hard to regain the trust of the British people.”

Ed Balls said:

“It is a great honour to be appointed to this post, and to succeed my friend and colleague Alan Johnson whose commitment to social justice and service to the Labour Party is second to none.

“Over the past few months, Alan and Ed have set out a clear direction on economic policy and challenged the Conservative-led Government’s false claim that our investment in schools, hospitals and police, rather than the global financial crisis, caused the deficit.

“Our task ahead is to take on George Osborne and David Cameron’s decision to cut too far and too fast, recklessly putting jobs and growth at risk. We will hold them to account for the decisions they have taken, from raising VAT to scrapping the Future Jobs Fund and education maintenance allowances.

“We will set out to the public that there is an alternative: a fair economy which puts jobs and growth first.

“I look forward to taking on and winning this argument.”