FOUR North-East MPs were waiting on their political futures last night, as Labour prepared to unveil its shadow cabinet line-up.

The four are among 49 MPs in the running for 19 places at new Labour leader Ed Miliband’s top table, with the result due at 9pm.

In the running for jobs are: Kevan Jones (Durham North), Helen Goodman (Bishop Auckland), Iain Wright (Hartlepool) and Roberta Blackman-Woods (Durham City).

A number of Labour heavyweights, such as Jack Straw, Alistair Darling and David Miliband, have ruled themselves out, opening the way for new faces.

However, former cabinet ministers Alan Johnson, Tessa Jowell and Yvette Cooper, and defeated leadership candidates Andy Burnham, Ed Balls and Diane Abbott are standing for election.

Dr Blackman-Woods, a former deputy minister for the North-East, played down her chances of making the cut.

She said: “It’s no secret I’m not a front-runner. I think it would cause a major political upheaval if I was elected.”

Dr Blackman-Woods said she stood because she wanted a range of women MPs to be in the ballot and the North-East to be represented in Labour policy making.

Similarly, Mr Wright, a former schools minister, said he was “not at all confident”

about his chances.

“I have to be realistic – there are a lot of big names who I expect will be given a place,” he said.

He said he stood for election because he wanted to make sure the North-East was represented in the shadow cabinet.

Mr Jones, a former defence minister, said: “It’s down to parliamentary colleagues whether they support you or not.

“Having done seven-and-ahalf years on the Defence Select Committee and been a minister for two years, I would like to continue my work.”

Mrs Goodman, MP for Bishop Auckland since 2005, served as a work and pensions minister, with responsibility for child poverty and childcare.

She said: “It’s an election, it’s not a shuffle. The ballot closes at 5pm and they will then count the votes. I might know more by 9pm, but there is just no way of predicting it.”

Labour’s shadow cabinet is elected by its MPs every two years. There must be at least six women chosen. Mr Miliband can then decide who gets which job.

Most attention is likely to be focused on who he chooses as his shadow chancellor.