House of Commons
Parliament

Caroline Flint, who today announced her decision to stand down from Labour's front bench and returns to the backbenches, has just been speaking in the Commons. During communities and local government questions she asked the minister to review the rights and powers of local communities to tackle the "scandal" of empty homes which "blight" local areas. Responding, housing and planning minister Marcus Jones said Ms Flint would be "a loss" to the shadow front bench.

Sky News

Sky News political reporter Darren McCaffrey shares a rather tasty account of last night’s twists and turns as Jeremy Corbyn tried to put together his shadow cabinet. And how did he know how it all unfolded? “Behind a not very thick door, we could hear conversations which often spiked in volume and were clearly audible,” he writes. Read it here., external

The Daily Politics

Reaction in Westminster to the first Jeremy Corbyn shadow cabinet from MPs Heidi Alexander, Frank Field, and Graham Allen, and Labour Uncut's Atul Hatwal when they spoke to Daily Politics reporter Ellie Price.

A few unfamiliar faces on Labour's frontbench as communities and local government questions gets under way in the Commons. They include that of new shadow cabinet member Diane Abbott. New shadow communities spokesman Jon Trickett says the new team is "ready, willing and able" to take the fight to the Conservatives. 

The BBC's Chris Mason, who is at the TUC Congress in Brighton, has detected some unease about some of Jeremy Corbyn's appointments, particularly that of John McDonnell as shadow chancellor. One senior union source has told him that the choice of Mr McDonnell is one of “several mistakes” that has been made. "The problem is people can’t stand him – even those who agree with him." The source also says the shadow cabinet "feels too London-y" - with London MPs holding the top two Treasury jobs as well as health and international development.

Somewhere among this posse of photographers - and with his back to this particular camera - is the new Labour leader. 

It's likely he will have to get used to this level of press attention...

Apparently Maria Eagle isn't doing any interviews this afternoon after her appointment as shadow defence secretary. But her office has released this statement.  

Shadow foreign secretary Hilary Benn says Jeremy Corbyn will treat those with different views on key issues "with respect" - claiming that the public will appreciate what he describes as "a much more honest" brand of politics in which the leader will not tell colleagues "to think like I think". While he understands why some of his colleagues have chosen not to serve under Mr Corbyn, Mr Benn says he believes the party has a responsibility to rally behind their leader and provide a "strong and effective opposition". 

Jeremy Corbyn is asked about potential differences with colleagues who hold different views on key policies. He replies by saying there will be "open discussions and open debate" on issues, suggesting this is a good thing for any political party. Pressed on whether he will be at Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday, he replies "of course". He has previously suggested that he might ask other colleagues to stand in for him at the weekly showdown. While saying again he wants to make the event "less theatrical", he says that "for the moment" it will be him facing David Cameron at midday on a Wednesday. 

Jeremy Corbyn has been talking to the media after addressing party activists at Labour's headquarters. He says "great care" has gone into assembling his new top team, insisting he has "reached out" to different wings of the party - something he calls a "bit of an achievement". He defends the gender balance in the shadow cabinet too, telling a journalist who points out that all of the jobs shadowing the so-called great offices of state - Treasury, Foreign Office and Home Office - have gone to men, that he is "living in the 18th Century". 

The World at One
BBC Radio 4

There has been criticism that Jeremy Corbyn has not given any the jobs shadowing the so-called great "offices of state" - the Home Office, Treasury and Foreign Secretary - to women. But Heidi Alexander, who is now one of the most senior women MPs in the shadow cabinet, says she and her colleagues "should not be judged on their titles but what we have to bring to the shadow cabinet table". 

The World at One
BBC Radio 4

New shadow health secretary Heidi Alexander says she was surprised to be given the high-profile role and would be doing a "lot of listening" in the coming days and weeks. Asked about her attitude to private sector involvement in the NHS, she says she would support a "very limited" role for the private sector - for instance, to pay for equipment and other services to bring down waiting times. However, she insists this should be a "very small role" and public money should "go towards patient care rather than lining the pockets of shareholders [of] private companies".

The World at One
BBC Radio 4

Paul Kenny seems to have his doubts. "I hardly know where we're going to be at the end of this year. I think the world is moving very fast," he says, adding that he doesn't know if the leader himself expects to be in the role by then. He says the real tests of his leadership will be how the party performs in upcoming local and mayoral elections.

On the question of Europe, the GMB boss also tells the World at One he could envisage his union campaigning for Britain to leave, complaining about "mass exploitation", "cheap labour" around Europe and diminishing workers' rights.