Straw ends 30-year career on the front benches
By politics.co.uk staff
Jack Straw is to end an impressive 30-year stretch on the front benches by stepping down from the shadow Cabinet.
The veteran politician announced today he would give up his shadow justice secretary role when a new shadow Cabinet was formed under the new Labour leader, who will be announced next month.
“I was first appointed to the Labour frontbench in 1980, and then elected to the shadow Cabinet in 1987,” Mr Straw said.
“But now I want the freedom to range more widely over foreign and economic policy.”
The key Labour figure, who has held many of the offices of state including home and foreign secretary, said he would be writing his memoirs and concentrating on his constituency.
