The Sin Bin • Re: Millionaire N London Barrister leads Labour

It's because she got the job of Chair of the Home Affairs Select Committee which is one of the most high profile. Similarly Hilary Benn got the Chair of Exiting the EU Select Committee.

https://www.parliament.uk/business/news ... ions-2020/

Only backbenchers are allowed to chair a Select Committee, if you're in the Shadow Cabinet you have to resign the post.

A Select Committee chair has more real power to hold the government to account through Parliament, cross-examining Ministers and civil servants, requesting the publication of documents, than a Shadow spokesperson which is more about being a spokesperson in the media. So it was unlikely that Cooper or Benn would relinquish those roles. Also Select Committee chairs get about £15k pay increment on their MP salary, I don't think there's a pay award attached to being in the Shadow Cabinet so that would involve a pay cut too!

If Labour were to win the next election I would expect Cooper and Benn to go in the actual Cabinet.