Ex-Home Secretary Johnson is named shadow chancellor

[Supreme]

BBC News - Ex-Home Secretary Johnson is named shadow chancellor

Alan Johnson has been named shadow chancellor in a surprise move by new Labour leader Ed Miliband.
Ed Balls, widely tipped for the Treasury brief, will be shadow home secretary, while Yvette Cooper is shadow foreign secretary.
On the crucial issue of the deficit, Mr Johnson said the government was cutting spending too far and too fast.
But he acknowledged his lack of economic experience, saying he was being "chucked in the deep end".
Asked by the BBC what his first move would be in the job, he joked that it would be to "pick up a primer in economics for beginners".
'Economic alternative' He said he would draw on the experience of other colleagues who had served in the Treasury and it was a "glorious thing" about British politics that politicians had to learn quickly on the job.

Alan Johnson hasn't had much experience in economics, although his common background should be an advantage when up against millionaire George Osbourne. Ed Miliband has also been wise in appointing Alan Johnson, as Miliband can keep a strong influence himself over the economy.

 

[Spaceman_Spiff]

Shadow Chancellor? Ninja School?

 

[Polycarp1]

While the idea of Ninja Labourites is amusing, it has to do with the British setup. The Government is formed completely from members of the party (or coalition, as at present) in power (meaning with a majority in the House of Commons), including all the Ministers and Secretaries. The biggest party not in power forms the Loyal Opposition. Their job is to snipe at the policies of the party in power in Parliament, show up any incompetencies and missteps, and generally get the electorate ready to put them in power at the next election. To do this, the Leader of the Opposition, the man who would have been Prime Minister if his party had won the election, names his chief supporters to brief themselves on specific areas of the Government's policies, with the idea that they will be individually ready when the Government stumbles in their area of expertise, and will probably hold the job they're assigned to snipe at if and when their party wins. So with the Tory/LibDem coalition in office, the leading Labour politicians each take one ministry as their target, and are known collectively as the "Shadow Cabinet" and individually as "Shadow Minister/Secretary of X," X being their particular assignment to study up on and criticize.

 

[Supreme]

While the idea of Ninja Labourites is amusing, it has to do with the British setup. The Government is formed completely from members of the party (or coalition, as at present) in power (meaning with a majority in the House of Commons), including all the Ministers and Secretaries. The biggest party not in power forms the Loyal Opposition. Their job is to snipe at the policies of the party in power in Parliament, show up any incompetencies and missteps, and generally get the electorate ready to put them in power at the next election. To do this, the Leader of the Opposition, the man who would have been Prime Minister if his party had won the election, names his chief supporters to brief themselves on specific areas of the Government's policies, with the idea that they will be individually ready when the Government stumbles in their area of expertise, and will probably hold the job they're assigned to snipe at if and when their party wins. So with the Tory/LibDem coalition in office, the leading Labour politicians each take one ministry as their target, and are known collectively as the "Shadow Cabinet" and individually as "Shadow Minister/Secretary of X," X being their particular assignment to study up on and criticize.

Couldn't have explained it better myself. In short, the shadow chancellor is the person in the opposition responsible for the party's economic policy, as well as the attack of the Government's economic policy. They will also be given the job of chancellor if the party in opposition becomes Government. So it's the second most important role in opposition.