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A “Revenge Reshuffle” Could Lead To Labour Becoming A “Cult”, Warns Shadow

The shadow chancellor is Mr Corbyn’s closest political ally and friend so he’s unlikely to be demoted.

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Shadow defence secretary Maria Eagle and shadow foreign secretary Hilary Benn both backed the government in extending air strikes into Syria.

Labour sources have suggested that Shadow Home Secretary Andy Burnham, who voted against airstrikes, may swap positions with Benn, allowing Benn to retain a senior post, the Times says.

Names in the frame include Emily Thornberry, the former shadow attorney general, who was sacked by Ed Miliband for posting a picture of a white van outside a house flying a St George’s flag. There was never any question of me being offered it, or of it being debated …

One shadow Cabinet member said: “It is the Trotskyists fighting communists overseen by a Russian nationalist”.

Richard Burgon (shadow City minister): New MP and Motörhead fan, among Corbyn’s most enthusiastic supporters. To be on the cabinet, it’s another league altogether.

Khan: Well I’m sure if Jeremy Corbyn was here, and he’s not, I am, he would say that he also wants to be pro-business.

But all eyes will be on whether Mr Corbyn takes notice of warnings over the lack of women in the top five jobs in the Shadow Cabinet.

Rumours abound Westminster that Jeremy Corbyn plans to move shadow ministers over divisions on policy, but doing so could risk a wave of resignations. So you have to ask, why would you have a reshuffle?

Before today’s rally against a third runway at Heathrow, Parliamentary hearings were announced yesterday to investigate whether the increase in flight traffic will break toxic air limits.Sadiq Khan, the Labour Party’s candidate for the London mayoral election, wants Londoners to know that he is very different from party leader Jeremy Corbyn.

“A reshuffle would simply leave people confused about what this fabled “new kind of politics” is all about”.

“I think what Jeremy has to do is putting together the team in the way he wants it and then refocus this debate about the economy”, the former mayor told BBC Radio 4’s World At One.

He pointed out that the Syria decision was a free vote among Labour MPs and Mr Benn should not pay the price for his views – particularly as Mr Corbyn had a long history of disagreement with Labour leaders. Eagle also supports the renewal of Trident – something on which the Labour leader is keen to change the party’s position – which will be voted on in parliament in the spring.

At the weekend, Shadow Culture Secretary Michael Dugher dismissed reports of a reshuffle as speculation, saying that “these things swirl around in politics, not just in the Labour party, in all the parties”, the BBC reports.

Mr Corbyn met the trio last night before finalising his first reshuffle this morning ahead of the first meeting of Labour’s new look shadow cabinet.

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The Labour leader has even been spotted shooing journalists away from his office door so they can’t overhear his conversations with shadow ministers.

Islington South and Finsbury MP Emily Thornberry