Why Labour needs to look further than the big beasts for the shadow cabinet

By Jack Kiffin and Larry Smith

As well as helping to select our new leader, Labour MPs will be voting over the next month to decide who will be in the party’s first elected shadow cabinet for fourteen years. With so many of the figures who dominated the last government standing down, including Jack Straw and Alastair Darling, members of the PLP have a unique opportunity to pick a frontbench based upon individual talent, experience and knowledge rather than simply weight of reputation. Below is a short profile of six candidates who were overlooked during our time in government but who could make a surprise impact as these elections unfold:

Angela Eagle – An MP since 1992, Eagle held a number of positions in the Blair and Brown administrations, serving at the former Department for Environment, Transport and the Regions and in the Treasury. She was promoted to the cabinet by Gordon Brown last year as a Minister of State for Work and Pensions and quickly demonstrated an intuitive grasp of one of the most difficult roles in government. As parliament’s first openly Lesbian MP she has also played a leading role in campaigning on equality issues and is a prominent member of LGBT Labour.

Vernon Coaker – Former Schools Minister Coaker has been particularly impressive in taking the fight to the coalition, helping to lead Labour’s response to the Academies Bill and standing in for Ed Balls when Michael Gove announced mistakes in the list of cuts to the Building Schools for the Future programme. His strong campaigning skills were also on show during the last election when he held his marginal constituency of Gedling in the face of a strong Conservative challenge.

Barry Gardiner – Showing intellectual flare at the Department for Environment and later as Gordon Brown’s Special Representative for Forestry, Gardiner held a number of junior positions during Labour’s thirteen years in power. A shrewd political operator who has successfully represented one of London’s most fiercely contested marginals in Brent North, he defied the odds to increase his majority at the last election. With a reputation as a fearsome commons debater, he has recently pushed the party to take a tougher line on the coalition’s environmental policies, highlighting the new government’s failure to tackle illegal logging.

Rachel Reeves – An economist who previously worked at the Bank of England, Reeves could provide the grasp of policy detail necessary to combat George Osborne’s Treasury team. She combines in depth knowledge with strong communication skills first on display in appearances made on Radio 5 Live during the expenses crisis. As a first-term MP, however, she may need more time to get to grips with the workings of parliament before joining the front bench.

Karen Buck – Having served prominently on the Work and Pensions Select Committee and as a Minister at the Department for Transport, Buck has substantial experience of government. But it’s the principled stance she took on the Iraq War and social housing that make her exactly the kind of MP Labour should look to as the party rebuilds itself. Her against-the-odds re-election was one of the highlights of the 2010 election for most London Labour activists and is a reflection of the high esteem in which she is held by her Westminster North constituents.

As with the leadership election, whoever ends up in the shadow cabinet need to be quick off the mark in attacking the coalition’s policies and shaping a credible progressive alternative. The individuals above have the talent and ability to do this.