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Shadow cabinet: Vote Meg

15/09/2010, 05:13:11 PM

From: HILLIER, Meg
Sent: 15 September 2010 xx:xx
Subject: Shadow Cabinet Elections

MEG HILLIER MP

Dear colleague

I just wanted to let you know that I will be putting my name forward in the Shadow Cabinet elections.

Experience

3 years as a Home Office minister with a challenging portfolio (including ID cards, vetting and barring, Europe and immigration)

5 years as MP for inner city London

4 years as a London Assembly member, active in my scrutiny of Mayor Ken Livingstone and promoting an agenda that would deliver for my constituents in transport and planning in particular

8 years as an elected local councillor in both opposition and control (I was also Mayor with the casting vote when Labour was evenly balanced with the LibDems)

I am a practised media and Commons performer.

I am a strong grassroots campaigner – in the 1998 local elections Labour held control of the council because we won back a Lib Dem seat by three votes after a relentless campaign in my ward (Jeremy Corbyn and Stephen Twigg know the work involved)

Personal

We often talk about diversity in politics. I am a school gate Mum of three (the youngest is aged 18 months) and I have also been a carer for two disabled adults (I now provide respite care for one of them).

I grew up under Margaret Thatcher and saw the Tories dismantle Britain. Labour spent 13 years rebuilding our country. We have seen huge investment in schools, hospitals and other local facilities. We cannot let this Government wreck that. We need to win again in 5 years time to stem their worst excesses and work to invest in the human capital in our regions and nations. As a young journalist in South Yorkshire I saw first hand the direct impact on families and communities of Tory inspired pit closures. We must stop their wrecking spree.

I want to take on the Tories and Lib Dems in the House of Commons, in the media and on the doorstep.

We also have a huge opportunity to develop policies with our membership. I am no lone ranger. As a minister I reached out to MPs across the party and the UK to make sure their views were heard and acted on as policy decisions were made and implemented. As a shadow minister I would continue to work with colleagues in the party and in Parliament. The leader and shadow cabinet need this input.

I represent one of the poorest constituencies in the UK. Over half my constituents live in social housing and unemployment is still too high. Having a Labour MP and a Labour council is not enough. My constituents need a Labour Government.

I hope to speak to you over the next few days. You can reach me on XXXXXXXXXX.

Meg Hillier

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Shadow cabinet: Vote Helen

15/09/2010, 05:06:19 PM

Helen Goodman

Shadow DWP Minister & MP for Bishop Auckland

Dear Colleague,

I am asking for your support in the Shadow Cabinet Elections.

I was really proud to be a Minister at DWP in the last government, when we were providing real support for young unemployed people through the Future Jobs Fund. In 1979 I lost my first job before I had even started due to the first round of Thatcher’s cuts and I had to live in a hostel for homeless women behind Victoria Station for several months, so I know how much our support mattered to people and I find it incredible that the Coalition Government is taking the country back through all that pain.

Clearly our first priority as an Opposition is to oppose the Government cuts, and the harsh social consequences. But we need to be forensic in going through the detail, as I have sought to do on Housing Benefit and Child Poverty and expose the big lie – that their course of action is necessary.

We also need to present the public with a more positive alternative. I believe that we need to concentrate on what people want, and I think we should be bolder. I would like see the next Labour Government undertake to deliver:

A million new homes

A million new childcare places

A million new green jobs.

Of course these could not all be financed through public spending: we should be flexible in terms of policy instruments and concentrate on what works. The key thing is to be confident that we can change things for the better.

I entered Parliament in 2005 and as well as being a Junior Minister at DWP taking the Child Poverty Bill through Parliament, I have been Deputy Leader of the House, in the Whips Office, PPS at the MOJ, and on the PAC. I was also elected as PLP rep on the NPF. I belong to the GMB, CSM, Fabians and the Co-op Party.

In my constituency I have campaigned strongly against the BNP and succeeded in turning the tide by building a coalition with the trade unions, local churches and community groups.

But I would say my experience beforehand was just as important: for seven years I worked in the voluntary sector mainly on children’s issues, and I was a Treasury official for 17 years working on both domestic and international policy, representing the UK in the EU and OECD.

I am currently not planning to write to you several times, so if you would like to talk to me further please ring me on xxxxxxxxxxxxx.

Yours,

Helen Goodman

Member of Parliament for Bishop Auckland

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Shadow cabinet: Vote for Sadiq

15/09/2010, 03:27:47 PM

A shadow cabinet vote for me letter, from an actual member of the shadow cabinet.

From: KHAN, Sadiq
Sent: 13 September 2010
To: KHAN, Sadiq
Subject: Shadow Cabinet election

Dear Colleague,

I am writing to ask for your support in the Shadow Cabinet election that will take place between 30th September and 7th October. I know you’ll be receiving many other emails along the same lines from other colleagues, so I’ll try to keep it concise.

Over the last few years, I hope that I have shown the energy, skills and values to be an effective, hard working and approachable member of the Shadow Cabinet. If elected to continue serving, I will be:

Campaigning – highlighting and challenging the failures and bad policy of the coalition nationally while making sure you have the materials and information you need to campaign locally and represent your constituents in the House.

Collegiate – working with all colleagues, through the backbench committee and PLP policy groups, to shape policy, develop our arguments and define our positions

Committed – I’ll put to use the same zeal and energy which saw me re-elected in a key marginal to tackling the Tories and Lib Dems and representing the Party to the public

Following stints as a Whip and then a Minister at DCLG, I worked with Andrew Adonis as Minister of State for Transport (attending Cabinet). I’m immensely proud of the work we did in that time, and of the ambitious approach we took to tackling the transport challenges of the future. I’m confident that our actions improved our national and local transport networks, contributing to improved quality of life, fairness, and economic recovery across the country.

As you know, I was appointed Shadow Secretary of State for Transport in May, a position which, as the son of a London bus driver, I’ve been very proud to hold for these last few months. During that time, I hope that you have found me approachable and ready to take on board any insights you have had on transport (or any other area), to answer any questions and to provide support and advice on your local campaigns. I also hope you have found me to be an effective performer both in the Commons and the media.

I realise that voting will take place during recess, so if we don’t have chance to speak in person during the next few days or at Conference, please don’t hesitate to get in touch by phone or email. I’ll be writing again over the next few days to set out in more detail why I’m standing for the Shadow Cabinet. I know that you’ll be receiving a lot of communications on this subject, so if you’d rather not hear from me again, please do let me know.

Best wishes
Sadiq

Rt Hon Sadiq Khan MP

Member of Parliament for Tooting

House of Commons

London

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Shadow cabinet: Vote for Kevin

15/09/2010, 03:12:30 PM

We have recieved four of these already.

From: BRENNAN, Kevin
Sent: 15 September 2010 15:01
Subject: FW: Shadow Cabinet Election

Shadow Cabinet Elections
Help shape Britain’s progressive future

Dear friend,

This is to let you know formally that I will be a candidate for the Shadow Cabinet.

At the first PLP meeting after the General Election I said that we would be fooling ourselves if we thought that the coalition would last months rather than years. I hold to that view, and to the belief that we need to think strategically about our path back to power.

The Coalition’s strategy is to emphasise the pain, to lower expectations and hope that, like in the 80s, Labour will be divided. Even with higher unemployment they calculate that sufficient voters will be relieved to have survived the recession and still be in work, and that this will win them re-election. Combined with the rushing through of partisan constitutional changes, they hope to consign us to opposition for at least two terms.

If we are going to thwart them we need to set out a strong positive alternative to their politics of fear, as well as exposing how their policies are damaging Britain.

We need a powerful, united and strategically focussed Shadow Cabinet team to counter their plans, containing colleagues capable of taking on Government Ministers in the Commons, the media and the country.

As well as having been Head of Economics in a Cardiff, I have been in the Party for 31 years, was a local councillor for 10 years and ran Welsh First Minister Rhodri Morgan’s office and campaigns. I came into the House in 2001 and led the campaign on behalf of Allied Steel and Wire workers which led to the setting up of the Pension Protection Fund. I was epolitix Disability Charity Champion of the Year 2004 for my work on Muscular Dystrophy. Comprehensive School

Until May I was Minister of State for Apprenticeships, FE, Skills and Consumer Affairs at BIS. I have also served as Minister for the Third Sector in the Cabinet Office, as well as Children’s Minister at DCSF. Prior to that I spent two years serving in the Government Whips’ office. I established a reputation across the House as a strong campaigner and performer in all these roles.

I believe that I have a lot to offer to the party in opposition too, and have got stuck into the new government from day one. I hope that you will give me one of your votes in the upcoming contest. Please call me on xxxxxxxxxxxxx if you would like to ask me anything.
Best wishes

Kevin

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Shadow cabinet: Vote for Ivan

15/09/2010, 03:03:41 PM

From: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Sent: Thursday, September 09, 2010 XXXXXXXX
To: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Subject: Shadow Cabinet Election

Dear XXXXXXXX,

Shadow Cabinet Election – A fresh Start

I am writing to ask for your support in the Shadow Cabinet election. This election provides an opportunity to ensure new voices and fresh ideas can play a key role in shaping the renewal of our party.

I offer:

1. A substantive track record of delivery and innovation

In my nine years as a Minister I demonstrated that Government can transform people’s lives through strong political vision and leadership underpinned by Labour values.

Some examples

In Education – I created young apprenticeships which give talented young people the chance to fulfil their potential via vocational education and developed the first ever Government led anti bullying programme which to this day is impacting in every school across the country.

In Health – I moved the complex issues of social care and dementia from the margins to the top of the political agenda.

2. An engaging style of politics

In every Ministerial role I developed an authentic two way dialogue with people on the front line building mutual trust and respect beyond Whitehall. This included road shows in every region and meant I was able to champion the need for reform while maintaining goodwill towards the Government. I treated Trade Unions as social partners not “embarrassing relatives”. As Social Care Minister the media presented me as more of a campaigner for change than a politician defending a failing system.

3. The courage to stand up and be counted

I am a loyalist but also someone who is willing to speak his mind when necessary. Three years ago I was the first Labour politician to warn that there was an urgent need for us to reassure both working and middle class voters that we were still the party of fairness and “on their side”. Sadly, while we subsequently adopted fairness as our political mantra by that stage too many people no longer believed it was our true mission. As a Labour team we must never allow such a disconnect to happen again.

In the weeks ahead I want to hear your views and will be expanding on my vision for the future. I ask for your support with humility but also a genuine belief that I can make a serious contribution to renewing Labour as an effective opposition and credible alternative Government.

Best wishes.

Ivan

PS If you would welcome a chat please call me on XXXXXXXXXX

Ivan Lewis MP

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First of the ShadCab “vote for me” letters

15/09/2010, 02:46:15 PM

We’re going to post these until we get bored of them.

We think it’s more likely to be days than weeks.

From: IRRANCA-DAVIES, Huw
Sent: 14 September 2010 20:00
Subject: Shadow Cabinet Elections

Dear Colleague,

I am writing to let you know that I am standing for the Shadow Cabinet, and to ask you to use one of your votes for me. My guarantee is this: I will draw on all the talents of the PLP to turn our government-in-waiting into a government in power.

With the clear direction of a new Leader, the Shadow Cabinet team must quickly capture the imagination and hopes of the public with bold ideas and a clear vision of the Britain we want to see. Our cabinet must be truly representative of wider society, with a blend of old-hands and new faces, of gender and ethnicity, of intellect and ideas and passion. We need people with varied life experiences – in direct contrast to the Coalition Cabinet of multi-millionaires.

As a member of the Shadow Cabinet, I will work directly with members of the PLP because we simply cannot ignore this wealth of talent and knowledge. For me, this is more than words: the hallmark of every policy and piece of legislation I have taken through the commons as a Minister – including the Marine and Coastal Access Act last year – has been an active and constructive engagement with colleagues.

My experience as a Minister for the Environment, in the Wales Office, as a Government Whip, and as a parliamentary aide in the Northern Ireland Office, DCMS and DWP has provided a thorough and varied preparation. Alongside my experience in negotiations with devolved administrations and at the European Council, I can confidently say that I am ready to serve in the Shadow Cabinet.

Before Westminster, I had a successful career in public and private sector management, and in Higher Education, but I began as a sports centre recreation assistant. My wife – an NHS front-liner – and I juggle the responsibilities for three boys aged 14, 13 and 12 with our work. I’ve been through the shock of redundancy – a real lesson in life – subsequently working as a night-shift security guard. These experiences – the knocks and the successes of life – make us what we are, connect us with the people we represent, and make us better politicians.

I have campaigned for this great Labour Party since I was young, as a grassroots activist and community organiser. Having served the party in many capacities, I am now ready to serve in the Shadow Cabinet in preparation for our return to government.

I ask for your support, and I look forward to speaking with you in the next few days.

Regards,

Huw

Huw Irranca-Davies

Shadow Environment Minister

***************************************************************************************

From: BLACKMAN-WOODS, Roberta
Sent: 15 September 2010 11:54
Subject: Roberta for Shadow Cabinet

Dear colleague,

Sorry to add yet more to your overloaded inbox but I want to let you know that I am standing as a candidate for the Shadow Cabinet and to ask for your support.

Since I arrived in Parliament in 2005 I have shown myself to be a hard working MP who is not afraid to take on the opposition and speak up strongly for the Labour cause.

I am pleased that colleagues elected me a number of times onto the Parliamentary Committee as one of your six representatives. I was a Deputy Minister in the last Parliament and am currently a Shadow Minister in BIS. I have served on the Education Select Committee, the Science and Technology Select Committee and the BIS Select Committee. I also served on 13 Bill Committees and spearheaded new legislation on private rented accommodation and licensing. Along with other MPs I also led the campaign for universal free school meals in our primary schools.

Before entering parliament I had a successful career in higher education and I now chair the All-Party University Group. I also chair the Associate Parliamentary Group for Afghanistan and the Balanced and Sustainable Communities Group. I have previously been Co-Chair of the Women’s PLP and colleagues recently elected me to Labour’s most senior position within the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association as Vice Chair.

I write this to demonstrate that I would very much want to use this experience and expertise to help make the Shadow Cabinet a really effective fighting force.

I am a good listener too and would want to keep open a real dialogue with the PLP. I think this is ever more important as we seek to develop a new set of policies. These need to challenge the Coalition’s damaging and divisive agenda, driven by a right-wing ideology that we need to expose and defeat.

I think it is vital that we elect members of the Shadow Cabinet who not only have stamina, and can inspire and motivate others, but are also team players. Resources are much scarcer in opposition and members of the Shadow Cabinet must be able to make the most of the talents of the Shadow Ministerial teams and the PLP. I think I can do this, but we can also draw on wider support which can help us win our arguments.

For example, there are sympathetic academics I know who will help us gather the evidence we need to undermine the policies of the current government. We didn’t always manage to do this when in government, and it is essential that we do it in opposition so we can win the argument and shape a renewed progressive agenda for Labour.

If elected I would also make sure we keep listening to our party members. They too have expertise and knowledge that we need.

Please do get in touch if you would like further information. I won my Durham seat this year against the odds because of relentless campaigning and hard work, a reputation for listening and delivering, and by mobilising a truly collective effort. I now want to offer these skills and commitment to serving the Labour Party in our Shadow Cabinet.

I hope that you will give me your support.

Best wishes

Roberta Blackman-Woods

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Shadow Cabinet bun fight begins

14/09/2010, 11:32:02 PM

Following on from last week’s ballot of the PLP on the process for selecting the shadow cabinet, its make up, and whether to elect the chief whip, the decisions have all been accepted in a yes/no ballot today.

After the PLP voted in favour of a minimum 31.5% of the shadow cabinet being women, it has been set out today that each MP must vote for a minimum of 6 women and 6 men for their ballot to be valid.

The nominations for the shadow cabinet will kick off from the Sunday of conference, with the coronation of the leader likely to be a side show to those MPs plotting and scheming to ensure they make the final shoot out for the big jobs. Many are already hard at it, canvassing support, buying pints and calling in past favours – Paul Waugh appears to owe John Healey one or two.

The winners and losers will be announced on the 7 October, when the real fun will start for the new leader as they try to make the best of what they’ve been given.

From: O’DONOVAN, Martin
Sent: 14 September 2010 17:32
Subject: YES/NO BALLOT ON THE SHADOW CABINET ELECTIONS

FAO LABOUR MPs

The result of today’s ballot was as follows:

YES – 113

NO – 24

The PLP has now AGREED the changes from last week’s ballot and the standing orders will be updated accordingly.

We will now proceed to a postal ballot to elect our Shadow Cabinet, as set out in the below timetable. As agreed at the PLP last night, the election of 19 members of the Shadow Cabinet and the election of the Chief Whip will be held simultaneously.

Please bear in mind that all ballot papers need to be returned to the PLP Office by Thursday 7 October at 5pm.

BALLOT PAPER

A reminder that, in order to cast your vote in the Shadow Cabinet election, PLP members must cast a minimum number of 6 votes for women and 6 votes for men otherwise it will not be a valid vote.

TIMELINE FOR ELECTING OUR SHADOW CABINET

(Saturday 25 September   pm         New Leader elected)

Sunday 26 September      11am     Nominations open for Shadow Cabinet

Weds 29 September        5pm        Nominations close

Thursday 30 September 9-12       Ballot papers available in PLP Office at Conference. After this time they will be sent in the post to the same address as your ballot paper for the Party Leadership election.

Mon 4 Oct–Thurs 7 Oct    10-5     PLP Office open for MPs to vote in person.

Thursday 7 October       5pm         Start counting votes in PLP Office

Thursday 7 October       9pm         Announce results of election

Monday 11 October                       Parliament returns

Weds 20 October                            Comprehensive Spending Review

If you have any questions on the above please email me or call me on the numbers at the bottom of this email.

Best wishes

Martin

Martin O’Donovan
Director of Unit and PLP Secretary

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Bring back Peter Mandelson, says John Woodcock

13/09/2010, 09:00:07 AM

So, another Labour Party election process is getting underway as the finish line finally comes into view for the main race.

And now we know that the whole shadow cabinet will be elected, those of us in the Parliamentary party who aren’t putting ourselves forward are girding our inboxes ahead of the ballot in conference week.

Having myself been clogging up said inboxes during the select committee elections earlier this year, it ill behoves me to complain about people having the temerity to communicate their qualities to their colleagues ahead of this enormously important vote. (more…)

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Thursday News Review

09/09/2010, 07:30:13 AM

What did he know?

Ex-News Of The World editor Andy Coulson’s ‘position is becoming very difficult indeed’, Mr Burnham said after the issue was raised at PMQs. ‘The question I had in my mind during prime minister’s questions, when I saw Nick Clegg answering on the issue, was that Andy Coulson could have had a hand in preparing the lines that government ministers are using,’ he said ‘If he isn’t voluntarily suspended I think the prime minister should ask him to step back from his role.’ Shadow health secretary Mr Burnham also said the NHS was facing ‘its biggest threat in its 62 years’ from a government White Paper proposing to axe health trusts. – Metro

The police are to reopen their investigation into the News of the World phone-hacking next week and plan to interview former journalists from the newspaper for the first time to discover who else was involved in hacking the voicemails of public figures. The pressure on David Cameron’s spin doctor Andy Coulson will be intensified by the fact that Scotland Yard detectives are preparing to speak with Greg Miskiw – the former head of news and so far the only senior executive at the newspaper to be conclusively linked to Glenn Mulcaire, the private investigator jailed for tapping phones on behalf of the Sunday tabloid. – The Independent

A senior former News of the World journalist goes public to corroborate claims that phone hacking and other illegal reporting techniques were rife at the tabloid while the prime minister’s media adviser, Andy Coulson, was deputy editor and then editor of the paper. Paul McMullan, a former features executive and then member of the newspaper’s investigations team, says that he personally commissioned private investigators to commit several hundred acts which could be regarded as unlawful, that the use of illegal techniques was no secret at the paper and that senior editors, including Coulson, were aware that this was going on. “How can Coulson possibly say he didn’t know what was going on with the private investigators?” he said. – The Guardian

Here come the cuts

Mr Cameron can ill afford to have the man in charge of organising the Government’s message appearing on the ten o’clock news night after night, with cameramen on his doorstep. At some point, resisting such attention is no longer worthwhile. Yet all this turbulence is nothing compared with what will hit the Coalition next month when George Osborne unveils his Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR) – at that point, all hell will break loose. “We are in a canoe paddling down the Zambezi, and Victoria Falls lie dead ahead. Once we’ve gone over the edge, none of this will matter,” one leading Cameroon told me. The edge, for those at Westminster who worry about it, is the moment we discover just how bad the cuts are going to be. To judge by what Cabinet ministers and officials are saying, many worry that the Coalition has not done nearly enough to warn the public of the abyss into which the country is about to plunge. “If we have had a collective failure,” one Cabinet minister says, “it is that we have underplayed the scale of the problem.” – The Telegraph

(more…)

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Jonathan Todd on the challenge for the new shadow chancellor

07/09/2010, 11:30:53 AM

The Labour leadership election will, finally, end on 25 September. But the identity of the shadow chancellor will be unknown until 7 October, when the results of the shadow cabinet election are announced. 13 days after this the new leader and shadow chancellor will lead our response to the comprehensive spending review. “It is”, as a leadership contender has said, “an incredibly tight timetable for the new leader and their shadow chancellor to map out a policy that might yet determine how we are viewed for the rest of the parliament.”

The general election too quickly gave way to the leadership election. (Which should have started later and been shorter). With the end of the leadership election, the formal involvement in the shadow cabinet election of four of our would-be leaders begins. This is a grueling pace. But the new leader and shadow chancellor will need immediately to demonstrate economic literacy, which means robustly critiquing George Osborne and articulating a credible and appealing alternative economic approach. While this is challenging, there are some relatively simple points that are worth underlining. (more…)

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