 On 15 May 2012 , Miliband appointed Owen Smith to replace Peter Hain – who retired from frontline politics – as Shadow Welsh Secretary , and also promoted Jon Cruddas to the Shadow Cabinet , putting him in charge of overseeing Labour 's ongoing policy review with a view to draft Labour 's manifesto for the next election . On 4 July 2013 , Miliband effectively sacked Tom Watson from the Shadow Cabinet after allegations of corruption over the selection of a Parliamentary candidate for Falkirk . Watson had offered his resignation , but when Miliband was asked by a journalist specifically whether he had sacked Watson , he replied , " ... I said it was right for him to go , yes . " 
