Shadow Home Office Minister steps down

Shadow Home Office Minister Helen Jones is stepping down from the front bench. The Warrington North MP “wanted to spend more time in her constituency” Labour sources said – although her letter to Miliband announcing her decision appears to lack a clear explanation (it’s only 46 words long).

Jones had been in the role since October last year (since the last reshuffle) and served as “Vice-Chamberlain of the Household” under Gordon Brown. A replacement for Jones will be announced “in a few weeks” – but that doesn’t mean that’s the time of a full scale reshuffle. We’ll have to wait a little longer for that.

Update: Here’s the exchange of letters between Jones and Miliband (click to enlarge):