Let's Do the Shuffle

So Ed Milliband has reshuffled his Shadow Cabinet for the first time. It used to be that according to Labours rules the Shadow Cabinet was elected every two years. However Miliband scrapped that rule at the recent conference and instead gained the right to choose his own Cabinet. So let's see who's in, who's out and who's been moved about.

In

Coming up from either the back benchs or relatively minor positions to the top table we have.

Rachel Reeves



A relative new MP who only came in at the last election, her new position as Shadow Chief Secreatary to the Tresury is a big step up.

Liz Kendall



Another newbie who's only been around a year Liz Kendall's appointment as Shadow Secretary for Care and Old People is her first Cabinet position.

Chuka Umunna



Another of Ed's up and comers Chuka campaigned for Ed Milliband during the leadership campaign and has been awarded with the post of Shadow Secretary of State for Buisness, Innovation and Skills

Tom Watson



The attack dog of the Labour backbenches Tom Watson has never been an MP to shy away from a fight being one of the principle movers and shakers in the phone hacking scandal. Now the Deputy Chair of the Labour Party and Campaign Co-Ordinator.

Margret Curran



A former memebr of the Scottish Parliament Mrs Curran come down to Westminster last year. In the shuffle she now holds the position of Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland.

Out

Those who were in Government but now will be able to have a nice long rest in the Backbenches

John Denham



Was Shadow Secretary of State for Buisness, Innovation and Skills

John Healey



Former Shadow Secretary of State for Health

Shawn Woodward



Now no longer the Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.

Shaken All About

The Cabinet Members who have retained their seat at the table but have in fact moved chairs.

Harriet Harman



Moved from International Development to Culture, Media and Sport. And still Deputy Leader.

Andy Burnham



Replacing John Healey, Andy will go from facing down Michael Gove to facing down Andrew Lansley as he moves from Education to Health.

Ivan Lewis



Playing swapsies with Harriet Harman, Lewis goes from Culture Media and Sport to International Development.

Hilary Benn



Moving from an important but not very well known position as Shadow Leader of the House of Commons, Hilary will now get to argue bins and biscuits with Eric Pickles at Communties and Local Development.

Vernon Coaker.



Moving up from the minor position of Shadow Secretary for Policing, Coaker will now take over Shawn Woodwards old brief at the Northern Ireland Office.

Angela Eagle



One of the first openly gay MP's, Eagle is being moved from her position as Ed Ball's right hand woman to Hilary Benn's old chair as Shadow Leader of the House of Commons.

Stephen Twigg



Another one crawling up the ranks, Twigg goes from being a Shadow Foreign Office Minister to Michael Gove's opposite number at Education.

Caroline Flint



Ms Flint takes what could be considered by some to be a step back. From facing down Eric Pickels she now takes over the role of Shadow Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, the brief once held by Ed Miliband himself.

Apart from that the Status remains Quo. The Big Three of Miliband, Balls and Cooper remain where they are, as do Douglas Alexander at the Shadow Foreign Office and Jim Murphy gets to keep his seat at Defence. Rumors about the removal of Sadiq Kahn proved groundless as did suggestions we might see a return of Alan Johnson or David Miliband to the Front Benchs.

Now let's see what this new team can do.