So Gordon Potter Brown has conjured up his dream cabinet. All that talk of getting in the real talent from across parties and public figures has been in vein and El Gordo has had to make do with the buffoons and misfits from his party. Talking of buffoons - old Buff Hoon himself is back. But the big roles have gone to David Miliband (foreign secretary) - reward for not trying to pinch Gordon's job a few months back (it won't be too long before Miliband starts to knock on the door of No.10 and start to try and up seat Brown, I'm sure). Jack Straw got the Justice portfolio and Lord Chancellor. Rather surprisingly, however, Jacqui Smith has been made Home Secretary.
My biggest disappointment was Alan Johnson. He has been given Health. Now, I'm not disappointed because I don't think he is up to the task of a senior role. Rather the opposite, Johnson is one the few good guys in the government with real talent and putting him in Health is a ticket to public humiliation. No doubt this is Gordon's punishment for Johnson not ruling himself out of the leadership race sooner. The Department of Health is an impossible job and with Brown in charge Johnson will have his hands tied behind his back while the media and opposition slap him around.
Incredibly Des Browne kept his job and Ruth Kelly has been handed Transport. Darling didn't do a bad job at Transport - proven by the fact we didn't hear much about him. Kelly is merely months away possibly weeks before she hits the headlines for a cock up, I'm sure. Most worryingly of all though, is Hazel Blears has been given Communities and Local Government. I don't where to begin on this one, suffice to say I thought we got rid of a bungling fool from this portfolio when Kelly took over from Prescott.
The first thing that struck me was the size of the cabinet - I hope Gordon has ordered a few extra chairs because some are going to be standing otherwise. Secondly, it was all rather unremarkable. A couple of departmental name changes and a few new faces, but overall, more of the same. So what of all this talk of change? He certainly hasn't pulled any rabbits out the hat yet.
Comments
To be fair
I suppose you ought to give your best guys the most difficult jobs. We'd have had more grounds to be critical if he had given Health to one of the real numpties, like (oh, I don't know) Harriet Harman, for example. Or kept Patricia Hewitt in the job.
You say it's unremarkable, but Jacqui Smith for the (reduced) Home Office was a bit of a surprise, wasn't she? No idea if she's any good.
The man I feel sorry for is Darling. Gordon's Chancellor? With the consequences of Gordon's mismanagement of the economy about to bite? Could there be a worse job?
Very true - I was
Very true - I was dissappointed for Johnson rather than the NHS - for the NHS it will be greated very positively I'm sure. It is a shame his name will be associated with inevitable disaster though as one day I think he would make a good Home/Foreign secretary and possibly even leader.
Darling really has got the bum job though. In fact, it's not even a job. It's a symbolic position. Gordon is still chancellor and Darling is his fall guy.
Jacqui Smith was the only surprise, but after all the talk of Ashdown and Patten and a complete restructure of the departments, I was a little dissapointed. It is more of a shuffle than a new cabinet.
Labour personnel change is for the best
I'm glad we didn't get Ashdown and Patten. In Patten's case, for every reason under the sun. In Ashdown's case, despite the fact that I respect him. It is a pity that Ashdown will never have held a major office, a bit like it is a pity that Ryan Giggs and George Best never got to play in international teams that had a chance of progressing in tournaments. But the essence of democracy is that you can vote the bastards out (one of many reasons why we should never go down the PR route, as The Independent are pushing on their front-page today). The Cabinet ought (other than in wartime) to be composed of elected representatives of the ruling party as far as possible, so it is clear who to blame (or, occasionally, credit).
I agree. But where's all the
I agree. But where's all the change Brown was banging on about yesterday?
Maybe I'm cynical, but I think this talk of change is rubbish. More legislation and taxes on the way folks.
Indeed
Indeed. Did you see the comment to your other post ("The beginning"), about Paxo's interview with Andy Burnham on Newsnight last night? That's pretty much QED: no change.
I did see it - they have got
I did see it - they have got themselves in to a bit of corner over this one. I'm sure they'll spin their way out of... d'oh.