Jeremy Corbyn appoints John McDonnell as Shadow Chancellor

Last night John McDonnell was made Shadow Chancellor in Jeremy Corbyn’s shadow cabinet reshuffle.

McDonnell has long been a close ally of Corbyn and acted as his agent in the leadership campaign. Some are unhappy with McDonnell’s appointment, as it means that four top jobs – leader, Shadow Chancellor, Shadow Home Secretary and Shadow Foreign Secretary –  are occupied by men.

Andy Burnham, Corbyn’s leadership rival and former Shadow Health Secretary, was moved to Shadow Home Secretary, while Hilary Benn kept his post as Shadow Foreign Secretary.

Former Home Secretary Charles Clarke this morning said that McDonnell’s appointment might divide the party. Jonathan Reynolds MP said that Corbyn’s decision makes sense as the leader and Shadow Chancellor should be “in harmony with one another”.

It was thought that Shadow Chancellor might have gone to deputy leadership candidate Angela Eagle. However she has been given the position Shadow Business Secretary and Shadow First Secretary of State – she will deputise for Corbyn at PMQs when David Cameron is not present. Eagle was previously Shadow Leader of the House of Commons.

There are still a number of appointments to be made, including Shadow Defence. Gloria De Piero was rumoured to be a possible candidate but it looks like this won’t be the case.

Corbyn’s team have said that there will be more women in the Shadow Cabinet than men.

McDonnell, the party’s new Shadow Chancellor, has been the MP for Hayes and Harlington since 1997. He stood for the leadership in 2007 but failed to get enough nominations to make it onto the ballot. He stood again in 2010 but withdrew from the contest to back fellow leadership contender Diane Abbott, who has been appointed Shadow International Development Minister.

Labour’s new Shadow Chancellor is Chair of the parliamentary Socialist Campaign Group and the Labour Representation Committee. He was one of the Labour MPs who voted against the invasion of Iraq in 2003. He also voted against university top-up fees.