Cooper tops shadow cabinet vote

Mr Murphy, who ran the failed leadership campaign of Mr Miliband’s brother David, said he was “delighted” to be on the top team.

He added: “Of course it is sad there are some really good people who didn’t win but I look forward to working with Ed Miliband and all the new team in taking on the Tories and Lib Dems”.

Under Labour rules, MPs had to elect at least six female colleagues to the shadow cabinet, but opted for eight in total.

Former Europe minister Caroline Flint and sisters Angela and Maria Eagle won places, as did Meg Hillier and Ann McKechin.

Ex-Cabinet Office minister and culture secretary Tessa Jowell retains her top-team status, while Mary Creagh enters the shadow cabinet despite never having served on the front bench before.

Maria Eagle told BBC News: “I think the fact that eight women have been elected shows that the Parliamentary Labour Party want a balance in terms of gender.

“They’ve noticed that the government is gender-blind, it’s hitting women very hard.”

There are another two women MPs and one peer who already have a place in the shadow cabinet, bringing the total to 11.

Harriet Harman, elected deputy party leader in 2007, is included automatically, while chief whip Rosie Winterton was elected unopposed to the position last week. Baroness Royall, leader of the opposition in the House of Lords, also retains her place.

Some 258 Labour MPs were eligible to vote in the shadow cabinet contest. Ms Cooper – who is being lined up for the shadow chancellor’s job by many commentators – was picked by 232 of them. Mr Healey got 192 votes and Mr Balls 179.