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By Ned Simons - 8th October 2010
Alan Johnson has been named as Labour's new shadow chancellor, with Ed Balls becoming shadow home secretary and Yvette Cooper shadow foreign secretary.
In a surprise move new Labour leader Ed Miliband has handed the crucial Treasury brief to the former home secretary, a portfolio that was expected to go to either Balls or Cooper.
Announcing his new top team this afternoon Miliband said it was drawn from a "broad range of talents" across the party.
"My team is united in one central mission for the future - to win back the trust of the British people and take Labour back to power," he said.
"Together, this new generation of Labour will work together to reject the pessimism of this coalition government as we set out our vision of what Britain can achieve. Our values are those of the British people, and this Shadow Cabinet will ensure that the hopes and concerns of working families are at the heart of our offer to the country."
Balls will have to wait even longer to get his hands on the Treasury brief that he has so long craved, having been moved from education to shadow Theresa May at the Home Office.
His wife Yvette Cooper, who many believed was likely to be the one to deny him the shadow chancellor role, finds herself as shadow foreign secretary.
The other leadership candidate who made it through the ballot was Andy Burnham, he has been moved from health to tackle Michael Gove at the education department.
Harriet Harman has been given a shadow cabinet position on top of her duties as deputy leader, and will shadow Andrew Mitchell at the Department for International Development.
Rosie Winterton is the new shadow chief whip, after Ed Miliband unceremoniously dispensed with the services of long-term Brown ally Nick Brown.
David Miliband chose to step away from the frontbench after losing the leadership to his younger brother.
David's co-campaign manager Douglas Alexander becomes shadow work and pensions secretary, while his other key aide Jim Murphy takes over from Bob Ainsworth as shadow defence minister.
Sadiq Khan, who successfully piloted Ed Miliband to victory in the leadership race is rewarded with the job of shadow justice secretary. He will also shadow deputy prime minister Nick Clegg having been given responsibility for political and constitutional reform.
John Denham becomes shadow business, innovation and skills secretary and will face Lib Dem economics guru Vince Cable over the dispatch box.
Former foreign office minister Ivan Lewis takes over at culture, media and sport while Tessa Jowell keeps hold of the Olympics brief.
John Healey, who came an impressive second in the shadow cabinet ballot, takes over the role of shadow health secretary vacated by Andy Burnham.
Caroline Flint, who resigned from the front bench in protest against Gordon Brown's leadership in 2009, returns in Opposition as shadow Communities and Local Government secretary.
Former Home Office minister Meg Hillier is one of the biggest winners, trusted with Ed Miliband's former role as shadow energy secretary.
Angela Eagle, who has ministerial experience at the Treasury and the Department for Work and Pensions, takes the key role of shadow chief secretary to the Treasury, charged with challenging the coalition's programme of cuts.
Her twin sister Maria will face Philip Hammond as shadow transport secretary.
Labour's last chief secretary to the Treasury, Liam Byrne, is made minister for the Cabinet Office.
While having previously been a Cabinet Office minister in government, Byrne is perhaps most famous for the note he left on the desk for his incoming Lib Dem replacement David Laws, in which he joked that "there's no money left".
A genuinely new face on the front bench is Wakefield MP Mary Creagh who becomes shadow environment secretary.
Hilary Benn who held that brief when Labour were in power is moved to become shadow leader of the House of Commons. Another relative unknown is Ann McKechin, who becomes shadow Scotland secretary.
The 19 Labour MPs who were successful in being voted into the shadow cabinet by their colleagues are joined by some 'captains picks' made by Miliband.
Shuan Woodward is brought in as shadow Northern Ireland secretary, a position he previously held.
And former Welsh secretary Peter Hain is handed back the brief in the new shadow cabinet.
Hemsworth MP Jon Trickett is also brought in as a shadow Cabinet Office minister.
In the House of Lords, shadow leader Baroness Royall, shadow Attorney-General Baroness Scotland and Lords chief whip Lord Bassam of Brighton keep their jobs.
Miliband's team will be on display from Monday, when the House of Commons reconvenes, following the break for the party conferences.
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