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| John McDonnell appointed shadow chancellor in Corbyn's new frontbench | John McDonnell appointed shadow chancellor in Corbyn's new frontbench |
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| Jeremy Corbyn has made his first key appointments as Labour leader, asking veteran leftwinger John McDonnell to be his shadow chancellor and his leadership rival Andy Burnham to be shadow home secretary. | Jeremy Corbyn has made his first key appointments as Labour leader, asking veteran leftwinger John McDonnell to be his shadow chancellor and his leadership rival Andy Burnham to be shadow home secretary. |
| Yvette Cooper, another of Corbyn’s leadership rivals, will not be in the shadow cabinet but will chair a taskforce on refugees. | |
| In an announcement from the Labour party on Sunday night, it was also confirmed that Hilary Benn would remain shadow foreign secretary, Lord Falconer would stay on as shadow justice secretary, while Heidi Alexander would be appointed shadow health secretary. | In an announcement from the Labour party on Sunday night, it was also confirmed that Hilary Benn would remain shadow foreign secretary, Lord Falconer would stay on as shadow justice secretary, while Heidi Alexander would be appointed shadow health secretary. |
| Angela Eagle was appointed shadow business secretary and Seema Malhotra would be shadow chief secretary to the Treasury, the party said. Diane Abbott was appointed shadow communities secretary and Vernon Coaker shadow secretary of state for Northern Ireland. | |
| The announcement means that the four top roles – leader, shadow chancellor, shadow home secretary and shadow foreign secretary – have all been filled by men. | The announcement means that the four top roles – leader, shadow chancellor, shadow home secretary and shadow foreign secretary – have all been filled by men. |
| Corbyn made the decision after spending the afternoon and evening in discussions in the House of Commons with Labour’s chief whip, Rosie Winterton, who he asked to stay in the post shortly after his landslide victory on Saturday. | Corbyn made the decision after spending the afternoon and evening in discussions in the House of Commons with Labour’s chief whip, Rosie Winterton, who he asked to stay in the post shortly after his landslide victory on Saturday. |
| Corbyn had been urged by some to appoint McDonnell to the shadow chancellorship, so his oldest political ally could lead his central political mission to build support for a strong anti-austerity economic programme. But some leading Labour MPs said this would represent a declaration of war by Corbyn and run against his commitment to build a consensual shadow cabinet. | |
| A number of former shadow cabinet ministers confirmed they would not be serving, having earlier suggested they could be willing to do so in the right circumstances. | A number of former shadow cabinet ministers confirmed they would not be serving, having earlier suggested they could be willing to do so in the right circumstances. |
| Former shadow business secretary Chuka Umunna was not offered a frontbench role and said he was leaving the top team by mutual agreement. He claimed the decision was made because he had not received unambiguous assurances that a Corbyn leadership would support Britain’s continued membership of the European Union in the coming referendum. | |
| Related: Chuka Umunna quits over Jeremy Corbyn’s EU stance | Related: Chuka Umunna quits over Jeremy Corbyn’s EU stance |
| It emerged that Shabana Mahmood, the shadow Treasury chief secretary, has refused to work with Corbyn, while Ivan Lewis, the shadow Northern Ireland secretary, was sacked despite saying he was willing to stay on until Christmas to help tackle the political crisis in the province. Mary Creagh, former shadow development secretary, also said she had decided not to serve. | |
| Umunna spoke to Corbyn on Sunday afternoon and later issued a statement saying: “There are a number of key points of difference on policy which I believe it would be dishonest to deny exist. If Jeremy’s clear victory yesterday demonstrated anything, it was a desire for politicians to be true to what they believe – I want to abide by this. | Umunna spoke to Corbyn on Sunday afternoon and later issued a statement saying: “There are a number of key points of difference on policy which I believe it would be dishonest to deny exist. If Jeremy’s clear victory yesterday demonstrated anything, it was a desire for politicians to be true to what they believe – I want to abide by this. |
| “Jeremy should be free to appoint a shadow cabinet committed to implementing the policies on which he campaigned in the contest. I clearly had some differences in view on how we build a more equal, democratic, free and fair society. | “Jeremy should be free to appoint a shadow cabinet committed to implementing the policies on which he campaigned in the contest. I clearly had some differences in view on how we build a more equal, democratic, free and fair society. |
| “Given these differences, not least on the European referendum, I would find it difficult to abide by the collective responsibility that comes with serving in the shadow cabinet. It is my view that we should support the UK remaining a member of the EU, notwithstanding the outcome of any renegotiation by the prime minister, and I cannot envisage any circumstances where I would be campaigning alongside those who would argue for us to leave; Jeremy has made it clear to me that he does not wholeheartedly share this view.” | “Given these differences, not least on the European referendum, I would find it difficult to abide by the collective responsibility that comes with serving in the shadow cabinet. It is my view that we should support the UK remaining a member of the EU, notwithstanding the outcome of any renegotiation by the prime minister, and I cannot envisage any circumstances where I would be campaigning alongside those who would argue for us to leave; Jeremy has made it clear to me that he does not wholeheartedly share this view.” |
| Insisting he would not be a thorn in Corbyn’s side from the backbenches, Umunna said he would be working with Keith Vaz on an independent review into the support for Labour among ethnic minorities. | |
| Meanwhile, the newly elected deputy leader, Tom Watson, insisted that Britain must remain a supporter of the EU as the world’s largest trading bloc. | |
| Watson has asked Corbyn to confirm his support for UK membership of both Nato and the EU and to allow a full debate within the party about a renewal of the UK’s independent nuclear deterrent. Watson is a strong supporter of Trident renewal, as are many leading unions, and said it was best to be honest about his position. | Watson has asked Corbyn to confirm his support for UK membership of both Nato and the EU and to allow a full debate within the party about a renewal of the UK’s independent nuclear deterrent. Watson is a strong supporter of Trident renewal, as are many leading unions, and said it was best to be honest about his position. |
| Watson admitted he was not sure of Corbyn’s policy on Nato, but Corbyn appeared to soften his position during his campaign for leadership, although he remained committed to rejecting another generation of British nuclear weapons. | Watson admitted he was not sure of Corbyn’s policy on Nato, but Corbyn appeared to soften his position during his campaign for leadership, although he remained committed to rejecting another generation of British nuclear weapons. |
| Related: Tom Watson: unifying stalwart or manipulative and divisive fixer? | Related: Tom Watson: unifying stalwart or manipulative and divisive fixer? |
| Corbyn’s apparent refusal to rule out opposing UK continued membership to the EU reflects his desire to keep his options open and see what David Cameron negotiates with his EU partners. Many on the left fear that the prime minister wants to negotiate away hard-won employment rights or to ensure the City of London remains only loosely regulated. There is also a gathering hostility to the EU on the British left in the wake of the German treatment of Greece in its debt crisis. | Corbyn’s apparent refusal to rule out opposing UK continued membership to the EU reflects his desire to keep his options open and see what David Cameron negotiates with his EU partners. Many on the left fear that the prime minister wants to negotiate away hard-won employment rights or to ensure the City of London remains only loosely regulated. There is also a gathering hostility to the EU on the British left in the wake of the German treatment of Greece in its debt crisis. |
| Umunna’s statement is the clearest ideological difference to emerge between Corbyn and the MPs who opposed him. Many of those who are hostile to Corbyn know they have to tread cautiously since if they refuse to serve too readily, or without ideological justification, they risk being branded disloyal by a party membership that has just elected Corbyn with such an emphatic vote. | Umunna’s statement is the clearest ideological difference to emerge between Corbyn and the MPs who opposed him. Many of those who are hostile to Corbyn know they have to tread cautiously since if they refuse to serve too readily, or without ideological justification, they risk being branded disloyal by a party membership that has just elected Corbyn with such an emphatic vote. |
| The new leader has made a commitment to appoint women to half the shadow cabinet posts, and promotions are likely for Lucy Powell, Gloria Del Piero, Emily Thornberry and Lisa Nandy. | The new leader has made a commitment to appoint women to half the shadow cabinet posts, and promotions are likely for Lucy Powell, Gloria Del Piero, Emily Thornberry and Lisa Nandy. |
| Sir Paul Kenny, the general secretary of the GMB union, called for MPs who opposed Corbyn’s election to leave the party if they planned to “snipe” and ponder their future in public. Kenny said: “I understand why some people say they cannot serve in the shadow cabinet. I can respect that. But frankly, if they are going to spend the rest of whatever time it is constantly sniping, talking about rumours of leaving, then the best thing they can do is go. Go off into the oblivion [like] previous splitters from the Labour party have done.” | Sir Paul Kenny, the general secretary of the GMB union, called for MPs who opposed Corbyn’s election to leave the party if they planned to “snipe” and ponder their future in public. Kenny said: “I understand why some people say they cannot serve in the shadow cabinet. I can respect that. But frankly, if they are going to spend the rest of whatever time it is constantly sniping, talking about rumours of leaving, then the best thing they can do is go. Go off into the oblivion [like] previous splitters from the Labour party have done.” |
| Len McCluskey, the Unite union’s general secretary said: “I think you’ll see a shadow cabinet that’ll shock all of you. It’ll be a talented shadow cabinet, perhaps the best we’ve seen for many years. I think it’ll be balanced and it’ll be drawn from all elements of the party.” | Len McCluskey, the Unite union’s general secretary said: “I think you’ll see a shadow cabinet that’ll shock all of you. It’ll be a talented shadow cabinet, perhaps the best we’ve seen for many years. I think it’ll be balanced and it’ll be drawn from all elements of the party.” |
| Related: Blairism is dead and buried. Jeremy Corbyn is the future | Len McCluskey | Related: Blairism is dead and buried. Jeremy Corbyn is the future | Len McCluskey |
| Watson told BBC1’s Andrew Marr programme that there was zero chance of a coup against Corbyn. “Labour party members will not accept that,” he said. “It’s fine for people to leave the frontbench – I’ve done it myself a few times – but you have got to have the spirit of unity in your heart when you do it. | Watson told BBC1’s Andrew Marr programme that there was zero chance of a coup against Corbyn. “Labour party members will not accept that,” he said. “It’s fine for people to leave the frontbench – I’ve done it myself a few times – but you have got to have the spirit of unity in your heart when you do it. |
| “And you want to try [to] make it work but enjoy the freedom to speak out. I’m sure Jeremy will respect that. And what I do know from my own experience is there is always someone else that can do a frontbench job. | “And you want to try [to] make it work but enjoy the freedom to speak out. I’m sure Jeremy will respect that. And what I do know from my own experience is there is always someone else that can do a frontbench job. |
| “I understand the concern of my colleagues in parliament, this is a huge change for the Labour party [and] there is no point in denying this is a huge political realignment, too. But Jeremy Corbyn has got a huge mandate from our members.” | “I understand the concern of my colleagues in parliament, this is a huge change for the Labour party [and] there is no point in denying this is a huge political realignment, too. But Jeremy Corbyn has got a huge mandate from our members.” |
| Former cabinet minister Lord Hattersley accused moderates refusing to serve of “self-indulgent nonsense” and an “abdication” of their duty to fight against extreme policies. | Former cabinet minister Lord Hattersley accused moderates refusing to serve of “self-indulgent nonsense” and an “abdication” of their duty to fight against extreme policies. |
| Writing in the Guardian, he said Corbyn was “incapable of leading the Labour party to victory at the next general election” and joined warnings of a return to the party’s 1980s electoral oblivion. | Writing in the Guardian, he said Corbyn was “incapable of leading the Labour party to victory at the next general election” and joined warnings of a return to the party’s 1980s electoral oblivion. |
| Related: Corbyn victory energises the alienated and alienates the establishment | Gary Younge | Related: Corbyn victory energises the alienated and alienates the establishment | Gary Younge |
| “Unless some drastic action is quickly taken, there is a real risk of disintegration,” he wrote. “Refusing to serve in the shadow cabinet is self-indulgent nonsense. As well as providing an excuse for Corbyn to promote nonentities, refusal denies senior MPs a ready-made platform from which to express their dissent.” | “Unless some drastic action is quickly taken, there is a real risk of disintegration,” he wrote. “Refusing to serve in the shadow cabinet is self-indulgent nonsense. As well as providing an excuse for Corbyn to promote nonentities, refusal denies senior MPs a ready-made platform from which to express their dissent.” |
| Labour reported that a further 15,000 people had joined the party since Corbyn’s election on Saturday. |