Miliband selects 22 new MPs for frontbench team

(PA)

Ed Miliband handed a fast-track promotion to 22 new MPs yesterday as he sought to show the public Labour is run by a "new generation".

The Labour leader broke with tradition by installing on the front bench a third of Labour's 66 first-time MPs.

They include Rachel Reeves, who becomes a spokeswoman on work and pensions; Gloria De Piero, the former GMTV political correspondent (culture); Luciana Berger, MP for Liverpool Wavertree (energy and climate change), and Michael Dugher (defence) and John Woodcock (transport), both former Downing Street spokesmen for Gordon Brown. Jack Dromey, the husband of Harriet Harman, Labour's deputy leader, was made a spokesman on communities.

Mr Miliband also promised to announce in the next week his proposals for cutting the deficit, and ruled out increases in personal taxes.