Hilary Benn tops LabourList readers’ Shadow Cabinet rankings

Shadow Foreign Secretary Hilary Benn is currently LabourList readers’ top ranked Shadow Cabinet member.

Benn had the highest average score in the monthly survey, where readers rank each member on a scale of 1 to 5. His score came to just shy of 3.4, while second placed John McDonnell was close behind with slightly over 3.3.

McDonnell had a high-profile week after responding to George Osborne’s Autumn Statement in the Chamber of the House of Commons, while Benn has been at the centre of the growing debate over Labour’s position on intervention in Syria.

With growing rumours that whipping against action could lead to Shadow Cabinet resignations, it is notable that three of the top four places (Benn, Angela Eagle and Tom Watson) are all in favour of intervention – while John McDonnell is understood to be opposed.

You can see a graph of the Shadow Cabinet table positions here (click to enlarge, full table below):

While the positions have changed around a bit, the top six places are still occupied by the same shadow ministers as last month, suggesting there is a strong well of support for Benn, McDonnell, Eagle and Watson, as well as Shadow Energy and Climate Change’s Lisa Nandy and Shadow Health Secretary Heidi Alexander.