It’s all to play for at the next election

IN MAKING appointments to the Shadow Cabinet, Sir Keir Starmer has demonstrated that the correct way to assemble a team is to recognise talent and leave factional ideology to one side.

The Labour Party has often been described as a broad church, but too often in recent years those chosen to be in the top team have been chosen not so much for their intrinsic merits as for the faction to which they belong.

Under Jeremy Corbyn, having a loyal supporter in a particular portfolio was often seen as more important than appointing someone well placed to hold the UK Government to account.

This cannot be right.

We know that the Westminster Shadow Cabinet needs at this time in particular to be able to shine, in a way its predecessor so often didn’t.

Appointing Nick ThomasSymonds, the MP for Torfaen, as Shadow Home Secretary is an inspired choice.

He has impressed ever since he was first elected as an MP in 2015 after a distinguished career as a barrister.

A true heavyweight, and without being associated with any particular faction, it is difficult to think of someone better qualified to shadow – more, hold Home Secretary Priti Patel to account.

While working in a collegiate way with Ms Patel, he is well placed to show her up if and when things go wrong – not that he would admit to any inclination to do so.

Nia Griffith, having been Shadow Welsh Secretary before, resumes the role at a time when the devolution settlement is likely to become a matter of contention after the immediate coronavirus crisis has receded.

The danger is that the economic damage wrought by the virus will be such that devolution will be expected to take a back seat.

It’s to be hoped that Ms Griffith will wield sufficient influence to ensure that won’t be the case.

The return of Ed Miliband should be seen as a positive.

While he was unable to persuade the UK electorate in 2015 that he was the right man to put into Downing Street, he undoubtedly has a talent that would be valuable in a future government under Sir Keir Starmer.

The next election is all to play for. Predicting future election results so far in advance – and in such uniquely challenging circumstances – is impossible. But the new Labour leader has given himself a good starting point on which to build potentially winning support.