Corbyn's Labour: 'a bit of a bumpy ride' ahead

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Nia Griffith MP

New Shadow Welsh Secretary Nia Griffith MP

By David Cornock
BBC Wales Parliamentary correspondent

Jeremy Corbyn's shadow cabinet now includes three Welsh MPs, with Nia Griffth's promotion to the role of shadow Welsh secretary.

I may be wrong but I think this is the first time a shadow cabinet has featured three Welsh members since the days when Neil Kinnock was party leader.

Nia Griffith voted for Andy Burnham but now says she is looking forward to working with Jeremy Corbyn (it would be a news story if she were not!). She told BBC Radio Wales that "We in Wales have been very much to the left of the party in what we've been doing and I think this will be an opportunity now to work with Jeremy to think very constructively about what we can do.

"For example, let's look at the economy. We've always said you need to stimulate the economy, to get the economy going so that then you can pay down the deficit and we want to use those opportunities. Of course we are limited by the fact we have a Tory government in Westminster and I think as this year plays out people will see more and more the utter devastation that is wreaking on some of our communities."

My colleague Felicity Evans tried to discover what Labour's position on EU membership would be under its new leader. Ms Griffith gave little away but told her: "We will have an opportunity to see things with fresh eyes."

Her shadow cabinet colleague Chris Bryant was initially offered - but turned down - the shadow defence secretary's job. He said: "I think Jeremy needs somebody in that particular portfolio where he and that person are rather more at one than I could be."

Mr Bryant, who voted for Yvette Cooper, admitted: "It's difficult and I think it is going to be a bit of a bumpy ride because there are issues on which - they are not light issues - I profoundly disagree with him, like on Nato, Russia and things like that."

The former shadow culture secretary had borrowed - but slightly misquoted a Bette Davis line from All About Eve "Fasten your seat belts- it's going to be a bumpy night."