Johnson resigns as Shadow Chancellor – Balls takes over

Alan Johnson shocked Westminster today by resigning as Shadow Chanellor for “personal reasons to do with my family”.

Ed Miliband has immediately shuffled his team, with Ed Balls replacing Johnson, Yvette Cooper replacing Balls as shadow home secretary and Douglas Alexander replacing Cooper as shadow foreign secretary.

Liam Byrne becomes shadow work and pensions secretary alongside his responsibilities for the Labour Party policy review, and Tessa Jowell becomes Shadow Minister for the Cabinet Office alongside her responsibilities for the Olympics.

In his resignation letter to Miliband, Johnson wrote:

“I have decided to resign from the Shadow Cabinet for personal reasons to do with my family. I have found it difficult to cope with these issues in my private life whilst carrying out an important front bench role…

“You are proving to be a formidable Leader of the Labour Party and will take the party from strength to strength in the years to come.”

With Miliband replying:

“It has always been clear that you never lost sight of the reasons which first brought you into politics. As Shadow Chancellor you spoke clearly to the public, warning of the dangers posed by the gamble the Government is taking with growth and jobs…

“I wish you all the best at this difficult time.”

Below is a full list of the newly reshuffled Shadow Cabinet:

Leader of the Opposition
Rt Hon Ed Miliband MP

Deputy Leader of the Labour Party, Shadow Deputy Prime Minister and Shadow Secretary of State for International Development
Rt Hon Harriet Harman MP

Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer
Rt Hon Ed Balls MP

Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs
Rt Hon Douglas Alexander MP

Shadow Secretary of State for the Home Department and Shadow Minister for Women and Equalities
Rt Hon Yvette Cooper MP

Chief Whip
Rt Hon Rosie Winterton MP

Shadow Secretary of State for Education and Election Coordinator
Rt Hon Andy Burnham MP

Shadow Lord Chancellor, Secretary of State for Justice (with responsibility for political and constitutional reform)
Rt Hon Sadiq Khan MP

Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (with responsibility for the policy review)
Rt Hon Liam Byrne MP

Shadow Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills
Rt Hon John Denham MP

Shadow Secretary of State for Health
Rt Hon John Healey MP

Shadow Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government
Rt Hon Caroline Flint MP

Shadow Secretary of State for Defence
Rt Hon Jim Murphy MP

Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury
Angela Eagle MP

Shadow Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change
Meg Hillier MP

Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
Rt Hon Hilary Benn MP

Shadow Secretary of State for Transport
Maria Eagle MP

Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Mary Creagh MP

Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
Rt Hon Shaun Woodward MP

Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland
Ann McKechin MP

Shadow Secretary of State for Wales
Rt Hon Peter Hain MP

Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
Ivan Lewis MP

Shadow Leader of the House of Lords
Rt Hon Baroness Royall of Blaisdon

Shadow Minister for the Cabinet Office and the Olympics
Rt Hon Tessa Jowell MP

Lords Chief Whip
Rt Hon Lord Bassam of Brighton

Shadow Attorney-General
Rt Hon Baroness Scotland of Ashtal QC