Asian-origin Sadiq Khan in Labour shadow cabinet

In the elections held to the shadow cabinet,Yvette Cooper received the most votes (232),followed by John Healey (192) and Cooper’s husband Ed Balls (179).

Other senior figures who successfully returned include former Cabinet ministers Alan Johnson,Andy Burnham and Jim Murphy.

Former Welsh Secretary Peter Hain,former Culture Secretary Ben Bradshaw and ex-Northern Ireland Secretary Shaun Woodward failed to make the 19-strong list. Diane Abbott,who stood in the leadership contest,also missed out.

Under the Labour party’s rules,its MPs vote to decide who should be in the shadow cabinet when the party is in opposition. A minimum quota of six women was imposed as part of efforts to promote equality.

The party overshot that figure,returning eight in total — including Caroline Flint,who quit Gordon Brown’s government in 2008 complaining that female ministers were being treated as “window dressing”.

Twin sisters Angela and Maria Eagle have been promoted to the top team,as have Meg Hillier and Ann McKechin. Ex- Cabinet Office Minister Tessa Jowell retains her status,while Mary Creagh enters the shadow cabinet despite never having served on the front bench.

Rosie Winterton had already been appointed shadow chief whip after being nominated unopposed.

Ed Miliband has signalled that he will not be rushed into making formal appointments. Cooper is the favourite to take on the Treasury portfolio after topping the ballot.

Some 49 MPs had put themselves forward for the election,after the departure of Lord Mandelson,Alistair Darling,Jack Straw and Bob Ainsworth from frontline politics following the defeat of David Miliband in the leadership election.