Ed’s new winning team must not forget about the south

Labour has come out fighting in the reshuffle. Enboldened by a solid performance at Labour’s conference Ed Miliband’s reshuffle brings in necessary new blood and some experienced performers. Much of the talk will, of course, focus on about the meteoric rise of some 2010 entrants, Chukka Umunna and Rachel Reeves in particular, but for us in the south we also need to reflect on the geographical centre of gravity is moving north.

With the exit of John Denham, a Southampton MP, the shadow cabinet now lacks any Labour MP from the south west, the south east and the eastern regions. London, Scotland and the north are well represented in Miliband’s new team. There are, of course, a few junior ministers, but when the shadow cabinet convenes there won’t be anyone with a southern constituency around the table (London doesn’t count for the purposes of this argument!).

This is, of course, not a conspiracy against the south, but merely a reflection of the political geography that saw Labour lose seats across the south at the polls in 2010. Many figures who would have been in contention lost their seats and many more who could have rising stars of the 2010 entry were never elected. We must place our trust in comrades from the north for the time being at least.

A lack of MPs in the south must not mean that a lack of focus on winning the south. Those new figures in the Shadow Cabinet recognise that to win power Labour must win across the south. This is not lazy code, as many on the right believe, for a return to some sort of Blairism. It is, however, a call to recognise that the south sometimes needs a slightly different recipe than our friends in the north. However, you explain Labour’s rejection in the south, don’t overlook the remedies necessary for a comeback in the south when planning Labour’s return nationally.

There are positive signs for Labour activists in the south in today’s news. It is good to see experienced street campaigners like Islington’s Emily Thornberry promoted in the reshuffle. Islington Labour has consistently out-performed the national trend in Labour performance. This isn’t just because of a higher than average concentration of Guardian readers but is due to the determined, well-organised, creative and frankly often inspirational campaigning not only of the MPs but a team of hard working councillors and volunteers. It is that fighting spirit that Ed needs to inject across his Shadow Cabinet – a recognition that Labour’s policies must play out on the street as well as in speeches.

It is for that reason that I’m a little disappointed not to see a return for Exeter’s Ben Bradshaw. A different type of street fighter to Emily Thornberry, Ben represents a feisty tradition of campaigning modernisers not afraid to take the fight to the Tories in the media, in meetings and on the doors. The Progress wing of the party is able, driven and organised and we need them to be at the heart of every campaign, every policy and every victory. It is for that reason, that figures like Ben Bradshaw, in addition to his campaigning qualities and experience, need to be brought into the Shadow Cabinet. I’m certain his time will come and I hope he continues to frustrate the Tories within the shadow ministerial team. We need more Ben Bradshaws in the Parliamentary Party – and perhaps one of them in the Shadow Cabinet too!

The importance of the south is not lost on Ed Miliband. I know his team are acutely aware that Labour must appeal not only to reconnected core Labour voters but also to the swing voters and the many marginals south of Birmingham. Understanding how to capitalise on the collapse of the Lib Dems is important too as is capturing the liberal discontent of female voters who voted Tory in 2010 but are disgusted by NHS reforms, benefit cuts and attacks on their pensions. We lost many marginal seats by only small margins, some by much more. It is not just for Ed Miliband to recognise this from the top, each and every member of the Shadow Cabinet needs to be on that same page. Today’s reshuffle gives me encouragement that this is the case.

It is for that reason that I am glad to see Mary Creagh retain her role at Defra. Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is often regarded as a poison chalice but she is doing us in the south proud and showing that if Labour’s defra policy can be a vote-winner (think forests and you know what I mean) then every other department should be scoring hits. The second name I was glad to see in post was Baroness Royall. Jan is the south west’s champion in the Shadow Cabinet. Over the last twelve months she has consistently and sometimes singularly championed our region and for that she deserves out thanks and admiration.

Winning in the south does not mean abandoning our Labour values and adopting Tory ones. That’s lazy logic and won’t wash. What it does mean is tailoring our message and campaigns to fit the different voter types across the south. One way Ed’s team can help Labour win more in the south is to link the policy attacks more closely with local campaigning and the resources Labour HQ offers local parties. This is not lost on Ed’s team and Labour’s new General Secretary. The challenge is to deliver upon this quickly and for Ed’s new team to hit the ground running. Delivering a winning NHS campaign must be an early priority for a re-energised Andy Burnham. The consequences of not doing this, for the south, for the north, for us all, are too grim to consider.

Westminster Village may be excited about the Labour reshuffle, let’s now get the party members excited by bringing forward a more robust, campaigning party. Let’s field first-class shadow ministers at every media opportunity and let’s also not lose sight of the important role Shadow Minister play in rallying local campaigners across the south. My message to Ed’s team is simple: don’t just travel south to London – explore the whole of the south and show hard-working and dedicated volunteers across the south west, south east and eastern regions that the south may not be represented by many MPs at the Shadow Cabinet but we are never far from your thoughts.

Luke Pollard was Labour’s candidate in South West Devon at the last General Election. He lives in Plymouth and works in the travel industry.