Labour MPs don’t push for reintroducing shadow cabinet elections

Labour MPs in favour of reintroducing shadow cabinet elections decided not to push for this change at last night’s meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP).

The meeting was the final one before Labour elects its new leader on Saturday. A number of MPs critical of leadership contender Jeremy Corbyn had raised the possibility of bringing back shadow cabinet elections abolished under former leader Ed Miliband. Under this system MPs would put their name forward and the PLP would vote on who serves in each shadow cabinet position.

At the meeting last night it’s reported that three MPs – Barry Sheerman MP for Huddersfield among them – spoke in favour of bringing back the elections, while three spoke against. Diane Abbott, who is in the running to be Labour’s candidate for London Mayor, was one of the MPs who spoke in opposition of this move.

Sheerman has already been vocal about his support for reintroducing this system.

I welcome the reintroduction of elections by the PLP for the shadow cabinet whoever wins @JohnCryerMP

— Barry Sheerman (@BarrySheerman) September 2, 2015

However, none of the MPs who advocated for a return of the elections laid a motion. This means at next week’s meeting of the PLP – under Labour’s new leader – there will not be a vote on the subject.

It emerged last week that for this to change pass, party conference would have to agree to the plays as would two-thirds of Labour MPs.