All change in Labour’s top team

It is the first time a Labour leader has had a completely free hand in creating the shadow cabinet team; a change in the rules means it is no longer down to an election by MPs. This was Ed Miliband‘s chance to put his stamp on the party leadership.

Rising stars

Some rising political stars have been brought straight in: Rachel Reeves and Chuka Ummuna, both aged 32, have been given senior positions, just 18 months after they were elected to parliament. Ms Reeves, a former Bank of England economist, is shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury, while Mr Ummuna takes on the shadow Business portfolio.

Stephen Twigg, who was schools minister under Tony Blair before losing his seat, will become shadow education secretary, while Caroline Flint has been moved to shadow energy secretary.

Scourge of the Murdochs

Tom Watson, who campaigned furiously for a full inquiry into phone-hacking allegations at the News of the World, has been promoted to Labour deputy chair and campaign co-ordinator. He insists he will be keeping his place on the culture select committee, declaring “the Tories can say all they like. I’m not budging.”

This new generation can join us in taking Labour forward. Ed Miliband

But phone hacking has claimed one scalp, of sorts. Ivan Lewis has been moved from the shadow culture post after he tried proposing that journalists should be forced to register – and anyone found guilty of malpractice should be struck off. That provoked an outcry – with reporters describing it as “thunderously idiotic and ill-thought out”. Labour’s deputy leader Harriet Harman will take the brief instead, while Mr Lewis gets her old job at International Development.

Women brought on board

There will be 11 women in the 27-strong team, including Islington MP Emily Thornberry, who’ll replace the outgoing Baroness Scotland as shadow Attorney General. Ms Thornberry, a former barrister, told Channel 4 News that she was “absolutely thrilled” by her appointment, and said it was “great to see so many talented people coming into the team, and to see so many women”.

I’m absolutely thrilled. Emily Thornberry

Two former government ministers, John Denham and John Healey, both announced they were stepping down on Thursday night. Labour insisted they had not been sacked, but had made it clear some time ago that they no longer wanted to continue in frontline positions. Mr Denham said he did not think it was right to carry on, as he was planning to stand down from parliament at the next election.

New generation

Mr Miliband said that his decision to appoint half a dozen MPs who were only elected in 2010 showed the range of talent within the party “and the way in which this new generation can join us in taking Labour forward.”

A relatively youthful 41 himself, he’s now picked a frontbench team with an average age of 48, one of the youngest ever.