Mr and Mrs Balls tipped for the top
By Tony Grew - 1st October 2010
Shadow education secretary Ed Balls has been tipped to come first in the shadow cabinet elections next week.
Sadiq Khan, who ran Ed Miliband's leadership campaign, has been mentioned as a possible shadow home secretary.
Six of the 19 elected shadow cabinet positions are reserved for women.
Balls' wife, shadow work and pensions secretary Yvette Cooper, is expected to receive the most votes out of the 14 female candidates.
Both are tipped for the key job of shadow chancellor.
Under party rules, MPs vote to decide who will serve in the shadow cabinet team when the party is in opposition. A minimum quota of six women has been set in place as part of efforts to promote quality.
Voting takes place between October 4 and 7, with the results being announced that night at 9pm.
Ed Miliband will then be able to allocate jobs to the 19 MPs who receive the most votes.
Of the 14 women standing, Cooper, Caroline Flint, Angela Eagle, Maria Eagle, Tessa Jowell and Ann McKetchin are expected to do well.
With 35 men vying for 13 places, Andy Burnham, Ed Balls, Alan Johnson, Jim Murphy, Chris Bryant, Kevin Brennan, Kevan Jones, Sadiq Khan, Pat McFadden, Stephen Twigg and Chris Leslie are tipped for shadow cabinet.
Losers could include Shaun Woodward, Douglas Alexander, Liam Byrne, Vernon Coaker, David Lammy and John Denham.
Shadow leader of the House Rosie Winterton will be chief whip as she is running for post unopposed. The position is chosen separately from the other jobs.
Also in Ed Miliband's cabinet will be three more women; deputy Labour party leader Harriet Harman, shadow leader of the Lords Baroness Royall and shadow attorney general Baroness Scotland, who attends but is not a full member.
PLP chair Tony Lloyd and Lords shadow chief whip Lord Bassam will complete the top table.
The way they were: The shadow cabinet in 1988.
Only one woman in the 1988 shadow cabinet, pictured in the shadow cabinet room in the House of Commons.
From left, back row: Michael Meacher, Dr David Clarke, Donald Dewar, Bryan Gould, Barry Jones, Tony Blair and Frank Dobson.
Front row: Dr John Cunningham, Derek Foster, Jo Richardson, Stan Orme, Gerald Kaufman, Neil Kinnock, Roy Hattersley, Robin Cook, John Prescott, Gordon Brown and Jack Straw.
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