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Jowell to leave Shadow Cabinet

September 11, 2012 2:05 pm

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As was widely expected, Tessa Jowell has quit the Shadow Cabinet following the end of the Olympics and Paralympics. Jowell has served in a number of roles on the Labour front bench over the past two decades, most recently as Shadow Olympics Minister. Now that role has ceased to exist, she has taken the decision to move on – having followed the project, inside and outside of government, from beginning to end.

In fact it’s worth remembering just a day after the Olympic festivities came to an end that Jowell sent back the original civil service report on the Olympics which said that Britain should not bid for the games. Jowell asked for the bid to be explored properly – and the rest is history.

Jowell was recently made a Dame for her work on the games – a thoroughly deserved accolade.

Update: Responding to Jowell’s decision to step down from the Shadow Cabinet, Ed Miliband said:

“Over her career, Tessa has been an amazing asset to the Labour Party and to Britain.

“Her legacy is enormous. What we have seen at the London 2012 would not have been possible without Tessa’s determination and dedication both in championing the bid and playing a major role in delivering the Games. For this the whole country owes her a huge debt of gratitude. She served in several roles both in Government and Opposition with dedication. Her perseverance played a key role in improving the lives of millions of children by introducing affordable childcare and Sure Start.

“Tessa will be missed from the Shadow Cabinet, but I know from her dedication to public service that she has much more to contribute in the future.”

Meanwhile, Jowell responded herself – saying:

“It has been the greatest privilege to have serve as part of Labour’s frontbench team, in government and most recently in the shadow cabinet for nearly 20 years.

“To have been able to be part of planning and delivering the Olympic and Paralympic Games from start to finish is a rare opportunity in public life and that too has been a privilege. After 10 years with the Olympics and Paralympics it is job done.

“I hope people across our country know that the Labour Party under Ed Miliband’s leadership wants to speak for them, cares about them and is ready to serve them.

“Our country has changed this summer and for the better because of the power of the British people, the Games Makers and our great Olympic and Paralympic athletes.”

Lucy

Retirement looming? Baroness Jowell of Dulwich and West Norwood?
http://twitter.com/redrenie24 Renie Anjeh

It was expected. Tessa Jowell should be given the Companion of Honours for her achievement in bringing the Olympics to London. My generation will also be thankful to her for making it happen. Thank you Dame Tessa!
- Brumanuensis
  
  I believe, as there are a fixed number of Companions that someone will have to die or be assassinated, first.
  - http://twitter.com/redrenie24 Renie Anjeh
    
    You are thinking of the Order of the Garter.
    - Brumanuensis
      
      No, there are a fixed number of Members. It may be that the quota hasn’t been reached, but if not, someone will have to ‘make way’ in order for Jowell to be appointed a Member.
      - Daniel Speight
        
        Maybe one of Berlusconi’s more shadowy acquaintances could organize a vacancy.
      - http://twitter.com/waterwards dave stone
        
        Tony Blair?
      - AlanGiles
        
        In any case, she has already been honoured this year (there is nothing like a Dame – unless it is a “colourful” husband and a pile of remortgage application forms)
      - http://twitter.com/redrenie24 Renie Anjeh
        
        You are blaming a very successful Cabinet minister who has delivered us the greatest Games for a non-illegal scandal involving her ex-husband!
      - http://twitter.com/redrenie24 Renie Anjeh
        
        Just looked it up, it is 65 members but they only have 38 members so far (66 soon including George Young) so she could get one.
- LeeMatthews
  
  bringing the olypics in 6 billion over budget is not such a great achievement, 2.37 billion original quote.
LordElpus

“Jowell was recently made a Dame for her work on the games – a thoroughly deserved accolade.”

The next time I don’t add VAT onto an invoice I can expect a knight hood then?
Brumanuensis

And so, with the ruthless lack of sentimentalism that distinguishes LabourList, I would like to open the betting pool on her successor. All bets below, if you please.
- http://twitter.com/redrenie24 Renie Anjeh
  
  She is not having a successor because Shadow Olympics Minister is a defunct job!
  - Brumanuensis
    
    Good point, I’d forgotten Harman held the equivalent Secretary of State position.
    - PeterBarnard
      
      Well, it may depend on the interpretation that can be placed on “London and the Olympics,” for which she was Shadow Cabinet member?
Jeremy_Preece

Tessa Jowell worked tierlessly to bring the games to London and has seen it through to the end. Tony Blair also pulled out all the stops to win the staging of the games in London. Ken Livingstone also did much.
I found the end of the viictory parade rather gaulling, as the speeches from Cameron and Boris appeared to be an attempt to turn the parade into a Tory party rally. Moreover it was an attempt by Cameron to be a bit of a Churchill and talk about Britian pulling together, but this was outclassed by Boris. I see that today the Metro picked up on the idea that it was Boris Johnson’s bid for Cameron’s job, and a competiton that he won.
My point here is that Tories have kind of airbrushed out Labour’s role in the Olympic projec, but I was rather peaved to see the Tories try to hijack Monday’s ceromony.
Brumanuensis

Or of Aberdeen possibly.

By-election would be interesting.
- http://twitter.com/redrenie24 Renie Anjeh
  
  Why Aberdeen? She was born in London and represents a London seat. A by-election in Dulwich won’t happen, but it would be interesting though I do hope Flo Nosegbe foes for it if that even where to arose.
  - Brumanuensis
    
    She went to school in Aberdeen and attended the University of Aberdeen for a time. She might want to include that in her title, or perhaps not, for reasons you set out above.
http://twitter.com/redrenie24 Renie Anjeh

You attacking the Olympics, Lee?
- LeeMatthews
  
  Not the Olympics, just the way the bid was set up. It looked like the cost was rigged until the bid was won (and the public were on side) then, the true cost was revealed. Not that i would accuse any MP of doing anything underhand as we all know they would never do anything like that. 2.97 billion origianal cost up to around 9 billion is a lot of expense not accounted for.
http://twitter.com/redrenie24 Renie Anjeh

It will probably be The Baroness Jowell of Dulwich. She deserves it, she must become one of the CH and even a Dame of the Garter.
Serbitar

I notice that Tessa Jowell decided to retire from politics soon after receiving an honour. On the off chance that receiving an honour is a cause which leads to retirement from politics by the individual so honoured as an effect is there any chance of securing a knighthood for Liam Byrne and pulling some strings to get Yvette Cooper and Caroline Flint elected as Dame Commanders of the Order of the Bath, Order of St Michael and St George, Royal Victorian Order, or the Order of the British Empire in the near future?

Must be worth a try, surely?
markfergusonuk

Tessa Jowell received an honour for her work on the Olympics. She was the Shadow Olympics Minister. The Olympics has just finished…
- rekrab
  
  What about the so-called Olympic legacy?
- Serbitar
  
  I think doling out atavistic honours left over from a defunct Empire to a few political duffers to encourage them to spend more time with their families is a small price to pay to rusticate them surely? The whole honours thing is purely ceremonial, costing the country next to nothing, and enables already highly ambitious and egotistical politicos to puff up and feel even better about themselves than normal. The dead wood gets pruned from the tree and gets pruned from the tree joyous!
  
  A Win-win situation I would say.
  
  (And a double thumb’s up for political life in Great Britain.)

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