Labour leader names shadow cabinet after winning in landslide
Jeremy Corbyn has swept to victory in the Labour leadership election, on a left-wing platform that trumpets large scale public housing programmes and re-nationalising the railways and energy utilities.
Corbyn (pictured) has named his shadow cabinet, and has already caused controversy by appointing fellow staunch left-winger John McDonnell as shadow chancellor.
Key roles relevant to construction have also been announced - Jon Trickett is shadow communities minister, John Healey is shadow housing and planning minister, Lisa Nandy is shadow energy minister and Lilian Greenwood is shadow transport minister.
Other key appointments relevant to construction include the appointment of Angela Eagle as shadow business secretary - replacing Chuka Umuna - and shadow first secretary of state and Lucy Powell as shadow education secretary, replacing Tristram Hunt.
In his acceptance speech Corbyn vowed to fight “social cleansing” caused by high housing costs in cities such as London and to impose rent controls to help families on benefits.
McDonnell, the MP for Hayes and Harlington, is perhaps best-known to the construction industry as a founding member of the Blacklist Support Group.
McDonnell has caused controversy in the past for calling for members of the Provisional IRA to be honoured for their role in the armed struggle and once declared he would like to assassinate former Conservative Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.
Other notable shadow cabinet appointments include Angela Eagle, who as well as having been named shadow business secretary has also been appointed as shadow first secretary of state, and Lucy Powell, who has been named shadow education secretary.
CORBYN’S POLICIES SO FAR…
TRANSPORT
· Renationalisation of the railways is high on Corbyn’s agenda, but proposes that they are run cooperatively by passengers, rail workers and the government to provide more affordable and low emissions transport.
· Opposed to HS2 and has said it would make England’s northern cities “dormitories for London businesses”.
· Keen cycler himself he would encourage more to cycle.
HOUSING
· Re-introduction of rent controls in expensive areas such as London to stop “social cleansing” and has proposed that private rents be linked to local average earnings.
· Suspension of council right to buy schemes in areas like London and lift borrowing restrictions on councils to allow them to build over half of the 250,000 new homes needed each year.
· Extend right to buy to private tenants of large-scale landlords, to be funded by the removal of some of the £14bn of tax allowanced given to buy to let landlords.
· New developments should include allotment space.
· Expansion of the Decent Homes Standard for council and housing association properties, promising decent homes for all by 2025.
OTHER
· “People’s Quantitative Easing,” which would allow the Bank of England to print money to invest in new projects including transport, energy and large scale housing.
· Scrapping of nuclear weapons – Corbyn is a long-time supporter of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament and he opposes the £80bn renewal of the UK’s Trident nuclear programme.
· A trade unionist at heart Corbyn is already planning to vehemently oppose the Trade Union bill being put in from of parliament this week.
REST OF THE SHADOW CABINET APPOINTMENTS
Heidi Alexander is shadow health secretary
Lord Falconer will continue as shadow justice secretary
Defeated leadership candidate Andy Burnham is shadow home secretary
Hilary Benn remains shadow foreign secretary.
Seema Malhotra is shadow chief secretary to the Treasury
Diane Abbott is made shadow minister for international development
Shadow Northern Ireland secretary is Vernon Coaker
Rosie Winterton continues as chief whip
Ian Murray is to continue as shadow Scottish secretary.
Owen Smith is shadow Work and Pensions secretary
Maria Eagle is shadow defence secretary
Chris Bryand is shadow leader of the House of Commons
Vernon Coaker is shadow Northern Ireland secretary
Ian Murray is shadow secretary for Scotland
Nia Griffith is shadow secretary for Wales
Kerry McCarthyy is shadow environment secretary
Kate Green is shadwo minister for women and equalities
Michael Dugher is shadow culture secretary
Gloria De Piero is shadow minister for young people and voter registration
Luciana Berger is shadow minister for mental health
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