Parliament and Politics: Modernisers win places in Shadow Cabinet: Five women elected as Smith faces awkward juggling act on portfolios

LABOUR'S Shadow Cabinet received a significant transfusion of new blood last night with five new faces among the 18 elected. There are now a record five women in the line-up.

Gordon Brown again topped the poll and is seen as a certainty for shadow Chancellor, with Robin Cook, John Smith's campaign manager in the leadership contest, taking third place and tipped as the likely trade and industry spokesman to take on Michael Heseltine, President of the Board of Trade.

But the arrival of five new faces - three of them, Harriet Harman (health), Mo Mowlam (City) and Chris Smith (Treasury), tieing for sixth place - was seen as a sign from MPs that they want to see change. All three are perceived as 'modernisers' in the debate over Labour's future.

David Blunkett, the local government spokesperson, perceived as a key grass-roots voice, joined the Shadow Cabinet for the first time in 15th place, as did Tom Clarke, a former community care spokesperson, who came 17th.

Tony Blair, many MPs' favourite along with Gordon Brown as Labour's next-generation leadership, came second. He is certain of a key post, likely to be either home or foreign affairs.

The five newcomers replace Gerald Kaufman, who stood down; John Smith and Margaret Beckett who become ex-officio members; Jo Richardson, the women's spokesperson, and Barry Jones (Welsh affairs), who both lost their seats.

Bryan Gould took a joint sixth place among the 18 elected, only one place down on last year - an outcome welcomed by his backers who feared some MPs might have attempted punishment for his leadership challenge. Michael Meacher, the only prominent Shadow Cabinet figure to back him, moved up from 15th to 13th place. John Prescott, the deputy leadership challenger, jumped from 16th place last year to fifth this year.

Despite what Shadow Cabinet members saw as a strong team, Mr Smith will face some awkward juggling of portfolios to satisfy all ambitions. Most of those who were re-elected want to shift jobs - Jack Cunningham, the campaigns manager and shadow leader, has said so publicly - and some need to move portfolios as their past words may be used against them by the Tories in policy changes.

Much may depend on the job Mrs Beckett seeks. Speculation has linked her to education, but there are MPs who believe she should be shadow Leader of the House with a role to boost the party's organisation.

The social security job will take on a new prominence given Mr Smith's commitment to creating a Commission on Social Justice to examine tax and benefits. That still leaves it as the post that nobody wants. The need for whoever takes it to be capable of taking flak and providing attention to detail may see either Chris Smith or David Blunkett enter the frame.

Among those showing strongly but failing to get elected were George Robertson (European affairs) and Ron Davies (agriculture). Four women - Clare Short (Tribune chair), Dawn Primarolo (women's parliamentary committee chair), Joyce Quin (trade) and Hilary Armstrong (education) - all scored 70 votes or more, providing claims for front-bench posts among the also-rans.

Voting, with last year's placings in parenthesis: 1 Gordon Brown 165 (1); 2 Tony Blair 150 (8); 3 Robin Cook 149 (2); 4 Frank Dobson 140 (7); 5 John Prescott 137 (16); 6 Bryan Gould (5), Harriet Harman (-), Mo Mowlam (-), Chris Smith (-) - all 135; 10 Ann Clwyd 133 (4); 11 Ann Taylor 129 (9); 12 Jack Cunningham 124 (12); 13 Michael Meacher 122 (15); 14 Donald Dewar 121 (11); 15 David Blunkett 112 (-); 16 Jack Straw 111 (14); 17 Tom Clarke 105 (-); 18 David Clark 104 (10).

(Photograph omitted)