Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ

Hardly inexperienced - all except one has served as a minister previously.

Having heard British accent all my life on Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ, I am sometimes dismayed by non-British accents of reporters. I know Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ has to cut costs, but PLEASE>>>>>!!

#1 Yes, but the issue has to be the level of experience, with so many adjacent seats gone, the new shadow cabinet is wholly different to it's immediate post election predecessor.

Ed M. has an intriging exercise over the coming weekend, and will need to look to his own backers as his adjkacent seats.

I wont guess, but I suspect a few 'leftfield' appointments will be made which will confound the political writers.

Interesting 48 hours ahead.

Leeds is hardly in South Yorkshire.

Surprised you are not tipping Angela Eagle for Shadow Chancellor. She was an effective Treasury Minister, and crucially isn't a lightweight
"rabbit caught in headlights" married to Ed Balls - Gordon's economic bagman who deserves much of the blame for Labour loss of credibility.

Mr Crick has an extremely interesting - if tendentious - definition of "inexperienced". Apparently for him it is more important to have been in opposition 14 years ago than to know the ministerial role that you are to shadow.

Unfortunately for Mr Crick's argument, the role of the shadow cabinet is to present credible opposition to the ConDem ministers' policies, not to state what went on 14 years ago. To be successful in that role, a shadow minister needs to understand the portfolio (s)he is shadowing.

C'MON MICHAEL - STEP OUT OF THE LIE!

All those who qualify for a place in the Westminster illusion have already passed through series of filters. They 'join' a party - accepting its dogma. They are vetted by a party-orientated committee, for 'appropriate' qualities. They undergo the humiliating procedure of being a 'rosette stand', rather than themselves, at General Election. They tolerate being 'Honourable', whipped ciphers.

The Shadow Cabinet is a subset of the above. They are the pile of Titanic deckchairs that should have been thrown into the boilers long ago, as only a minority would risk sitting in them.

You write of the 'South Yorkshire Triangle'; I am focused on the 'Liangle' of money, media and 'minster. C'mon Michael - emulate Vaclav Havel's greengrocer and STEP OUT OF THE LIE. You will, of course, be fired and never work again. But what a public service!