David Cameron has reshuffled his frontbench team this morning.
Timing
It had been reported that Cameron would wait until the inquiry into Caroline Spelman had officially reported, but it looks like Cameron decided he could not wait another couple of weeks given the ongoing reshuffle speculation that was potentially damaging morale within his team as frontbenchers worried whether they would keep their jobs.
Ken Clarke
As expected, the big story of the reshuffle is the return of Ken Clarke to the frontbench for the first time in 12 years. Clarke, 67, has vast experience of government and is the former Chancellor of the Exchequer who was responsible for the economic recovery following the recession of the early 1990s. He becomes the shadow Business Secretary, shadowing Lord Mandelson although the two will clearly not face each other at the despatch box as Mandelson is in the Lords while Clarke will be in the Commons. The Business Select Committee had voiced concern that the government has more Business ministers in the Lords than in the Commons. Clarke’s position in the Commons will draw attention to this to a much greater extent.
More...
There have been concerns raised about Clarke’s appointment, however. He is strongly Europhile which does not sit well with the overwhelmingly Eurosceptic Conservative Party. Indeed, this was largely the reason he failed to become Tory leader, despite three attempts. However, Clarke has said that he accepts that the Tory party now has a settled position on Europe (unlike the 1990s where the party was far more evenly split between Europhiles and Eurosceptics) and has said that he will not seek to change the party’s position on Europe. David Cameron, for his part, accepts that Clarke is not going to renounce his views so is happy for Clarke to retain his Europhile stance in private, though tow the party line in public. Clarke has said that he will adhere to the principle of collective responsibility. If Clarke can maintain the discipline, it is likely that he will just go quiet on the European issue though this will not stop his political opponents and the media trying to make disunity the story. In truth, Cameron and Clarke are very relaxed about it all. As Clarke himself has pointed out today, it is well known that Mandelson is far more pro-European than Gordon Brown, being a strong advocate of joining the Euro for example, but this is not causing the government any difficulties.
I mentioned above the issue of discipline and this has been a concern of many. Clarke can be a bit of a loose canon in terms of speaking his mind. It is what helps make him such a colourful and popular figure with the public but can cause consternation among his colleagues. There has also been criticism of Clarke by Lord Tebbit who says that despite his talent, Clarke is “lazy.”
That said, I believe that Clarke is an excellent politician, with vast experience and superior media skills. He will strengthen the Conservative economic-business team in just the way Mandelson has helped Labour’s. I’ve always taken the view that Clarke is not particularly interested with the business of opposition. The fact that he has returned to the frontbench after all these years seems to suggest he is confident, at least, that the Conservatives will return to government after the next general election.
Other moves
Mark Francois enters the Shadow Cabinet becoming Shadow Minister for Europe
Alan Duncan, who makes way for Ken Clarke’s return becomes Shadow Leader of the House of Commons, replacing Theresa May. This is a senior role for Duncan that shows he still has the support of David Cameron. There had been speculation that Duncan faced the chop after concerns with his outside business interests etc. However, Cameron made a point of defending Duncan last week.
Chris Grayling leaves his Work and Pensions brief and becomes Shadow Home Secretary. He is a very good media performer who excels at taking the fight to Labour. He had been linked to the position of Party Chairman but he skills will be well utilised covering the Home Affairs brief, especially given how successive Home Secretaries have struggled to master their department which John Reid described as “not fit for purpose.”
Dominic Grieve becomes Shadow Justice Secretary which is a sideways move. He replaced David Davis as Home Secretary but is said to be happy with his move to Justice. The cerebral former barrister will be better suited at Justice rather than the Home Affairs which tends to suit hardy attack dogs.
Nick Herbert leaves his Justice brief and becomes Shadow Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Secretary. He replaces Peter Ainsworth who has failed to make an impression, particularly with the media, on a brief that Cameron has attached a great deal of importance to. Herbert, the former director of the Reform think tank should be an improvement.
Theresa May moves to become Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary and Shadow Minister for Women. This is the one move I’m not convinced about. Given the importance of welfare reform I feel Cameron would have done better to have given this role to a stronger politician to face the Labour rising star James Purnell. There had been speculation that Iain Duncan Smith would have been brought back to the frontbench to take on this role. However, this was either not offered or was declined.
Eric Pickles, hugely popular with the party grassroots becomes Chairman of the Conservative Party. 57 percent of readers of ConservativeHome chose him as their preferred choice of Party Chairman. This role will increasingly important as the general election draws closer. Pickles will be helping to galvanise the grassroot activists and also take the fight to Labour in the television studios. As working glass Yorkshireman he is also a good counter to the claims that the Conservatives are just wealthy old-Etonians.
Caroline Spelman loses her position as Party Chairman to Pickles but takes his old job as Shadow Communities and Local Government Secretary. The expenses inquiry into Spelman has yet to report but Cameron is clearly confident that she will be exonerated. It was widely felt that the Tories needed a new Party Chairman but Spelman is respected and Cameron will have been keen to retain her in his Shadow Cabinet otherwise the gender imbalance of the frontbench would have been even greater.
Timing
It had been reported that Cameron would wait until the inquiry into Caroline Spelman had officially reported, but it looks like Cameron decided he could not wait another couple of weeks given the ongoing reshuffle speculation that was potentially damaging morale within his team as frontbenchers worried whether they would keep their jobs.
Ken Clarke
As expected, the big story of the reshuffle is the return of Ken Clarke to the frontbench for the first time in 12 years. Clarke, 67, has vast experience of government and is the former Chancellor of the Exchequer who was responsible for the economic recovery following the recession of the early 1990s. He becomes the shadow Business Secretary, shadowing Lord Mandelson although the two will clearly not face each other at the despatch box as Mandelson is in the Lords while Clarke will be in the Commons. The Business Select Committee had voiced concern that the government has more Business ministers in the Lords than in the Commons. Clarke’s position in the Commons will draw attention to this to a much greater extent.
More...
There have been concerns raised about Clarke’s appointment, however. He is strongly Europhile which does not sit well with the overwhelmingly Eurosceptic Conservative Party. Indeed, this was largely the reason he failed to become Tory leader, despite three attempts. However, Clarke has said that he accepts that the Tory party now has a settled position on Europe (unlike the 1990s where the party was far more evenly split between Europhiles and Eurosceptics) and has said that he will not seek to change the party’s position on Europe. David Cameron, for his part, accepts that Clarke is not going to renounce his views so is happy for Clarke to retain his Europhile stance in private, though tow the party line in public. Clarke has said that he will adhere to the principle of collective responsibility. If Clarke can maintain the discipline, it is likely that he will just go quiet on the European issue though this will not stop his political opponents and the media trying to make disunity the story. In truth, Cameron and Clarke are very relaxed about it all. As Clarke himself has pointed out today, it is well known that Mandelson is far more pro-European than Gordon Brown, being a strong advocate of joining the Euro for example, but this is not causing the government any difficulties.
I mentioned above the issue of discipline and this has been a concern of many. Clarke can be a bit of a loose canon in terms of speaking his mind. It is what helps make him such a colourful and popular figure with the public but can cause consternation among his colleagues. There has also been criticism of Clarke by Lord Tebbit who says that despite his talent, Clarke is “lazy.”
That said, I believe that Clarke is an excellent politician, with vast experience and superior media skills. He will strengthen the Conservative economic-business team in just the way Mandelson has helped Labour’s. I’ve always taken the view that Clarke is not particularly interested with the business of opposition. The fact that he has returned to the frontbench after all these years seems to suggest he is confident, at least, that the Conservatives will return to government after the next general election.
Other moves
Mark Francois enters the Shadow Cabinet becoming Shadow Minister for Europe
Alan Duncan, who makes way for Ken Clarke’s return becomes Shadow Leader of the House of Commons, replacing Theresa May. This is a senior role for Duncan that shows he still has the support of David Cameron. There had been speculation that Duncan faced the chop after concerns with his outside business interests etc. However, Cameron made a point of defending Duncan last week.
Chris Grayling leaves his Work and Pensions brief and becomes Shadow Home Secretary. He is a very good media performer who excels at taking the fight to Labour. He had been linked to the position of Party Chairman but he skills will be well utilised covering the Home Affairs brief, especially given how successive Home Secretaries have struggled to master their department which John Reid described as “not fit for purpose.”
Dominic Grieve becomes Shadow Justice Secretary which is a sideways move. He replaced David Davis as Home Secretary but is said to be happy with his move to Justice. The cerebral former barrister will be better suited at Justice rather than the Home Affairs which tends to suit hardy attack dogs.
Nick Herbert leaves his Justice brief and becomes Shadow Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Secretary. He replaces Peter Ainsworth who has failed to make an impression, particularly with the media, on a brief that Cameron has attached a great deal of importance to. Herbert, the former director of the Reform think tank should be an improvement.
Theresa May moves to become Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary and Shadow Minister for Women. This is the one move I’m not convinced about. Given the importance of welfare reform I feel Cameron would have done better to have given this role to a stronger politician to face the Labour rising star James Purnell. There had been speculation that Iain Duncan Smith would have been brought back to the frontbench to take on this role. However, this was either not offered or was declined.
Eric Pickles, hugely popular with the party grassroots becomes Chairman of the Conservative Party. 57 percent of readers of ConservativeHome chose him as their preferred choice of Party Chairman. This role will increasingly important as the general election draws closer. Pickles will be helping to galvanise the grassroot activists and also take the fight to Labour in the television studios. As working glass Yorkshireman he is also a good counter to the claims that the Conservatives are just wealthy old-Etonians.
Caroline Spelman loses her position as Party Chairman to Pickles but takes his old job as Shadow Communities and Local Government Secretary. The expenses inquiry into Spelman has yet to report but Cameron is clearly confident that she will be exonerated. It was widely felt that the Tories needed a new Party Chairman but Spelman is respected and Cameron will have been keen to retain her in his Shadow Cabinet otherwise the gender imbalance of the frontbench would have been even greater.
No comments:
Post a Comment