It is reported that Labour’s new leader, Andy Burnham, will announce plans for fresh oil and gas drilling in the North Sea when he becomes prime minister on Monday.
The move has been opposed by the Energy Secretary Ed Miliband, who some on the left of the party had hoped might be appointed as the next Chancellor.
Backbenchers on the right believe the Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood would be a better choice. The York MP Rachael Maskell made her preference clear:
“Shabanna has a background in the justice sector, she hasn’t got the experience in the Treasury and that’s a part you really do need to understand and therefore just drawing on vision about using people’s experience. I think that other people can probably use their past experience in the Treasury. Ed Miliband clearly has walked those planks before and therefore seeing him there is just a stronger choice”.
