This reshuffle has been a bit boring so far, but it might liven up in the next few minutes. It seems that either Hazel Blears or Jackie Smith will get the Home Office. I can only speculate that David Davis is salivating at the thought.
Adam Boulton is speculating that former LibDem MP Alex Carlisle will be the new Attorney General. With Shirley Williams' appointment as a government adviser it is safe to say that Ming Campbell's authority is completely shot to pieces.
Incidentally, glad to see at least one of predictions coming true, with Sir Alan Sugar being given a role. I must admit that when I wrote the story I was in two minds whether to actually press SEND.
UPDATE: My hopes are dashed. The Home Secretary is to be Jackie Smith and not the chipmunk. This is a massive promotion for Jackie Smith. She's never struck me as being completely on top of her brief when she appears on TV.
If Hazel Blears becomes home secretary I will resign, leave the country, and commit suicide.
ReplyDeleteI hope nobody thinks I'm making a sexist point here, but why is it that there are so many brilliant female Labour backbenchers (Gwyneth Dunwoody, Kate Hoey, Geraldine Smith) but as soon as they get a ministerial position they become uniformly bleating nanny-goats?
Blears Home Secretary!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely NFW.
blears, blears, blears.....bring back blunkett all is forgiven (nearly..)
ReplyDeleteBlears or Smith? Please tell me you're joking.
ReplyDeletewhat abou the total crook Jowell???
ReplyDeleteFor Blears at least you HAVE to be joking. Concrete shoes would be a much better idea.
ReplyDeleteBBC says Jacqui Smith?
ReplyDeleteAdam Boulton saying Lord Carlile as AG but not necessarily cabinet ("not cabinet but certainly government of all the talents...QC Alec Carlile will be appointed Attorney General") along with Shirley's 'not a job, but' not the best day for Ming?
ReplyDeleteDon't you mean Jacqui Smith ??
ReplyDeleteSo Smith gets the poisoned challice. Way to go Gord. You don't have many women in your cabinet and then when you do decide to appoint one you give her a job where you know she'll be out of the job in less than 12 months and you can appoint another bloke.
ReplyDeleteBiker Babe Blears gets transport !!
ReplyDeleteShe will get us all on lower carbon emission motorbikes. Bravo !
who is J Smith?
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteShe seems to have gone to the same school of PR skills as Balls did.
ReplyDeleteLooking at some of the appointments so far I am struck by the lack of good presentational skills amongst them. Still I would take competence over PR and spin, but what if we get neither?
Brown is banging on about change and lots of rhetoric on how things will be better, will he fall into the trap Blair did in 97' by promising more than he can deliver?
What is a "Jacqui Smith", then?
ReplyDeleteIs it that particularly uninspiring bint who periodically goes into 'speak your weight' mode in the Commons?
Brown is in the business of appointing people who will be no challenge to him - in all senses. Really, it's entirely unsurprising that he's having to look outside his own party for anyone with any real ability.
Lord help us all, Smith did PPE at uni.
ReplyDeleteHas anyone in the Brown cabinet had a proper job; i.e. one with some responsibility as opposed to being a Postman or a Teacher
Cabinet member, degree, work experience
ReplyDeleteAlistair Darling – Law – Solicitor
Jacqui Smith – PPE – Teacher
David Miliband – PPE – Researcher
Alan Johnson – None – Union Official
Ed Balls – PPE – Journalist
Jack Straw – Law – Solicitor
Harriet Harman – Politics – Solicitor
Des Browne – Law – Solicitor
Douglas Alexander – Law – Solicitor
Peter Hain – Economics – Researcher
Not an honest day's toil between them.
Jackie Smith ... never struck me as being completely on top of her brief when she appears on TV
ReplyDeleteThe Home Office will think her one of their own as they have not been very good at anything under Labour.
Jacqui ...
ReplyDeleteI'm glad it wasn't Blears. As much as I look forward to seeing Davis bang this corrupt government to rights, I've come to find Hazel Blears quite endearing -- like a fuzzy cartoon mascot. Sacrificing her to David Davis would feel just a bit mean, especially given she's now the only source of levity in Brown's grizzled army of saturnine Stalinite drones.
ReplyDeleteI predicted Alex Carlile as soon as I heard Goldsmith was standing down. Nothing Alex would like more than undermining Ming. Would be an interesting appointment. He's a talented man - used to live next door to me in Montgomeryshire.
ReplyDeleteGlyn Davies: "He's a talented man - used to live next door to me in Montgomeryshire."
ReplyDeleteYes indeed. The move being a clear illustration of his talent?
what does Mindless Sexist Bigot consider to be a proper job? Being a PR man (Cameron), a wallpaper heir (Osborne), or a stockbroker (numerous identikit Tory chinless wonders)?
ReplyDelete