LABOUR MPs last night delivered to Mr Tony Blair the "dream" shadow cabinet he wanted but issued a clear warning that many are unhappy with the running of the party.
The leader's lobby to have his shadow health secretary, Ms Harriet Harman, returned succeeded. But, while MPs gave her a 55 vote cushion, she was bottom of the list of elected candidates.
There were other signals of discontent: Ms Margaret Beckett, on the left of the shadow cabinet, topped the poll for the second year running and colleagues on the left - such as Ms Clare Short, Mr Gavin St rang and Mr Robin Cook - were also well up the list.
Leadership spokesmen described the result as a vindication of the decision to hold the elections now and said it demonstrated strong backing for the team. The party leaders provoked anger from the left for deterring possible contenders and giving a clear signal to MPs to back the existing team.
Ms Beckett gained, perhaps, from a system under which MPs have to cast at least four of their votes for women.
More significantly, the three figures closely involved in the controversial review of child benefit for 16 to 18 year olds crashed down the ratings. The shadow chancellor, Mr Gordon Brown, plunged from third last year to 14th; the shadow social security secretary, Mr Chris Smith, tumbled from seventh to 15th; and the shadow education and employment secretary, Mr David Blunkett, fell from 11th to 17th.
Ms Harman thanked all members of the Parliamentary Labour Party who voted for the team and said: "I look forward to continuing my work on health, which is such an important issue for the party and the country."