The New Shadow Cabinet - List & Analysis

Here's the new Shadow Cabinet. The formal announcement has just been sent out in a press release from CCHQ. Check back over the next hour or two as I expand this post with some analysis...

Chancellor: George Osborne
No one ever seriously thought he would be moved. His appointment as General Election coordinator is welcome. He understands campaigning, especially on the internet. Expect some eye-catching initiatives in web campaigning.
Home Secretary: David Davis
The only one at the top not to be given extra responsibilities. Indeed, it is not clear whether Dame Pauline Neville Jones will report to DD or to DC on security matters.
Foreign Secretary: William Hague
Made it clear he did not wish to be moved, but has agreed to take on extra responsibilities. Gets a highly competent number two in David Lidington - his former PPS. Hague will be happy, and that's very important.
Schools: Michael Gove
Possibly the best appointment of the whole reshuffle (especially since I predicted it!). If I were his opposite number Ed Balls I'd not be sleeping too well tonight.
Skills & Universities: David Willetts
David Willetts will be relieved not to have been culled. He won't be pleased to have lost schools from his portfolio, but there is a huge job to do to develop an exciting vocational training policy and Willetts may be just the man to do it.
Health: Andrew Lansley
David Cameron has a high regard for Andrew Lansley. He is very experienced in the post. Some of us had wondered whether he might be due for a move as he's been there a long time and Cameron might have wanted a more aggressive spokesman to counter the PR skills of Alan Johnson.
Transport: Theresa Villiers
Villiers moves from the relatively anonymous position of Shadow to Chief Secretary to a real frontline role. She also has an opportunity to shine against the hapless Ruth Kelly. Villiers has a sharp wit and is much edgier than she is given credit for. The transport sector should not underestimate her.
Trade & Industry: Alan Duncan
I'm disappointed he wasn't given Environment, which is sorely in need of an effective media performer.
Local Government: Eric Pickles
Excellent appointment. Eric has the total confidence of the Party and has proved himself over the years to everyone. He was the main architect of the May election victories and this promotion is a recognition of that.
Chairman of the Party: Caroline Spelman
I've made clear that I thought Francis Maude should have been kept in post, but I don't have a downer on Caroline in the way that ConHome have. I think she needs to develop a sparkier TV presence and we know nothing of her organisational skills. She must concentrate on the political and media role and appoint a seasoned deputy to take on the party organisation part of the job.
Chief Whip: Patrick McLoughlin
His position was never in doubt.
Environment: Peter Ainsworth
This is a difficult one. Peter hasn't done anything wrong, but he just hasn't hit the headlines on a subject which is at the forefront of Conservative policy. That's why I thought Alan Duncan would have been a good appointment for this job.
Justice: Nick Herbert
He's a big mate of mine so forgive me being especially pleased for him. Nick has proved himself in his previous job as Shadow Minister for Police Reform. He's an original thinker and will relish the task of getting stuck into the constitutional affairs work which Gordon Brown's statement tomorrow will provide.
Work & Pensions: Chris Grayling
At first sight this is an odd move for one of the Party's best headline grabbers - but on reflection that's why he's been moved here. Philip Hammond was excellent at the policy development side and Cameron is known to think highly of him. But rather like Peter Ainsworth, Philip didn't get a huge amount of media coverage . It will be highly entertaining to watch Grayling grapple with Hain.
Cabinet Office: Francis Maude
Francis was devastated to leave CCHQ. I suspect he was only persuaded to take this job with the addition of the policy implentation brief. He will act as a fixer and progress chaser with a roving brief across all portfolios.
Leader of the House of Commons: Theresa May
Theresa has escaped the axe by the skin of her teeth. She will be expected to wipe the floor of the House of Commons with Harriet Harman.
DCMS: Jeremy Hunt
The only bad thing about this promotion is that the Disabled have lost a very powerful advocate. Jeremy is a first class performer and could well be a big star of the future. He's the antithesis of a tribal party politician.
Northern Ireland: Owen Paterson
I suppose this appointment comes under the category 'sop to the Cornerstone Group'. Owen is a tenacious hard worker - his work on fisheries was outstanding - but I think even his best friend would have been surprised at this promotion.
Leader of the Lords: Lord Strathclyde
He's an effective performer and liked by everyone.
International Development: Andrew Mitchell
Was a contender for the chairmanship but that would have been a controversial appointment. He is enjoying his current job, and on the eve of his trip to Rwanda it would have been strange to move him. I expect him to get an extra junior team member tomorrow to mirror the DFID setup.
Defence: Liam Fox
Having been offended by stories saying he faced the chop he buckled down and has proved himself to Cameron. Liam has had a difficult year snce the leadership election but I think he is now finding his feet again.
Chief Secretary to the Treasury: Philip Hammond
Philipm Hammond can be a tough negotiator and is ideally suited to this role. He didn't carve out a media niche in his previous job and won't need to here. His role will be to say no.
Wales: Cheryl Gillan and Scotland: David Mundell
Cheryl Gillan has done a good job in Wales, while David Mundell may have retained his position partly because there is no alternative.
Policy: Oliver Letwin
He now has three people watching his every move. Some argued he should have been taken out of the front line, but that would have been too embarrassing for everyone. Hague, George Bridges and Francis Maude will all have roles in policy development and implementation.
Community Cohesion: Sayeeda Warsi
Some will see this as the most controversial and risky appointment of the reshuffle. Sayeeda is prone to speak her mind and will need to learn the constraints of collective responsibility, but she knows that. On the two occasions I have seen her on Question Time she has been absolutely superb. I know David Cameron's email inbox is filled with people waxing lyrical about her whenever she appears. No doubt her appointment will be viewed with some ambivalence by the more traditional elements, but she's not there just because she's an Asian woman - she's there because she has talent. It's up to her now to show everyone what she can do.
Security: Dame Pauline Neville Jones
On the face of it this is a seriously good appointment, but I am nervous about how she will fit in with the Home Affairs brief, or whether she will want to be independent of it.
Housing: Grant Shapps
I am assuming that Grant will be giving up his campaigning brief to take on this most important of portfolios. This is a good thing. He risked being pigeonholed as a campaigning expert. However, I hope he retains the portfolio until the current by elections are out of the way.
Foreign Office: David Lidington
On the face of it a demotion, having been replaced as Shadow Northern Ireland Secretary, but in reality it still gives him a seat at the top table as William Hague's deputy. I suspect it's a role he will relish.