Reshuffle fever takes hold
Just as Number Ten must have wanted, reshuffle fever is fast overtaking interest in the local election results in the Westminster village.
Charles Clarke may not sleep much tonight if talk of him losing his job proves to be correct. Of course, he may say to his boss - "You can't sack me after what you've said publicly" - and, given the mess Tony Blair has made of past reshuffles, he may get him to change his mind.
John Prescott already knows his fate - probably keeping his title (Deputy Prime Minister) but losing responsibility for the office created in his name.
As for the rest, expect to read a dozen different Cabinets in a dozen different morning papers.
It is, though, not bums on ministerial seats but votes in ballot boxes which will determine the significance of the next 24 hours. Keep reading and/or watching - coverage starts on ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ One at 2340.
I'm 
Comments
Sorry for the triviality to kick off - how did David Dimbleby get from Barnes to ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Studios in 4 1/2 minutes??!! Helicopters are terribly bad for the environment!
It seems to me this re-shuffle has come too late. If the government had any sense they would have dealt with their issues before people went to polls and maybe, just maybe restored a little bit (and I'm talking very little) of respect.
Can they squeeze a few more Scots in?
Who's winning? Can't get to a tv, damnit :(
Maybe the PM should be included in the reshuffle?
Nick,
Isn't there the danger that the cabinet will decide only one change is made and hold their own shuffle?
Serious question, when politicians sit across the table from you and try to explain away bad results without accepting they are responsible how to you and Tony King keep a straight face?
I'm so glad that we have people like you to put people like John Reid to task.
Nick,
Isn't there the danger that the cabinet will decide only one change is needed and hold their own shuffle?
Serious question, when politicians sit across the table from you and try to explain away bad results without accepting they are responsible how to you and Tony King keep a straight face?
I do like how Reid is getting in early with his tactic of pre-empting a bad result for Labour by suggesting that unless the Conservatives make massive gains they'll have done equally badly.
Not entirely untrue, of course, but rather disingenuous on his part.
The fact we periodically see Nick on his laptop is rather disconcerting, however. Seeing someone blog live just isn't right, somehow.
With so little of the country voting today (look at the ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ web site map) no wonder people feel that it is not worth voting. The Westminster reaction, amplified by the media, is simply a knee jerk reaction to a larger opinion poll than normal - and it is not even properly balanced.
I think the reshuffle is long overdue. Since last November there hasn't been a Cabinet Minister in charge of the Cabinet Office, while this department is pushing true very import laws like the Regulatory Reform Bill.
With the hugh failure of Charles Clarke to deport those who should have been departed, with the hugh failure of Patricia Hewitt to get grip on the NHS and with a Prime Minister unable to control his own Cabinet and lead the nation.
Clarke, Hewitt and Blair should defintly go. Let John Reid get the Home Department brief. At least he is one of the few labour politicians I believe is trustworthy.
Ask the studio lot whether Blair will have the power to shuffle who he wants, where he wants. Could the results effect his actual power and given strength to Brown and his supporters?
³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ News looking good so far. Good work Nick!
Is it Just me being cynical or did David Blunkett just sidestep the last question poorly?
DD asked him can you hear me?
DB replied no I cant....
Hmmmm?
No Peter Snow? It's not the same :-(
With Tony Blair being so out of control, it might be a good plan to give Parliament a say in appointments to the Cabinet, like in the EU. It is one example in which Europe is more democratic then Britain is.
Nick,
Congratulations to David for keeping a straight face when the link to David Blunkett conveniently, but I'm sure truthfully, went down. Nice to see the ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ as professional as ever. Likewise yourself with Geoff Hoon.
On a more serious note does John Reid talking about those reports of 400+ seats being lost indicate real Government fear of big losses, or simply a way of making it sound worse than it will be? Similarly, if Blair only tinkers with the Cabinet tomorrow can he avoid the charge of doing little. It's all very well saying that Blair wants to make his mark in the middle ranks, but surely it is the Cabinet that is the face of Government, so changes there must be needed to show signs of change?
After just watching Question Time, and now the Election coverage, I am somewhat peeved to hear the 'green' issue make another unwanted intrusion into the the elections and politics in general. What of Prescott, Hewitt and Clarke? Or even more general issues, the NHS, crime and education. It is painfully frustrating to be watching so many hide behind such trivial topics as token environmentalism. Please, lets hear some real political debate here. :S
For a 36 year old man with left leaning tendencies voting for the first time, I am almost surptised at my own choice of conservative for, not just these local elections, but also for the next general election. And this is from a single parent in temporary housing!
By bending over backwards on immigration to allow huge pressure to build on housing stock in my council, I can look forward to many more years of inadequate provision for my children.
Yours sincerely
A single parent of 2 under-9's
SO FAR IT LOOKS LIKE ITS BEEN A GOOD N IGHT FOR THE TORIES BUT A DISSAPPOINTING NIGHT FOR THE LIB DEMS.wOULD YOU AGREE WITH THAT ANALYSIS NICK?
Ive heard a rumour that Blair is finally going to bite the bullet and move Gordon Brown to the foreign office or even home office.Is there any truth to that do you think?
Although there are is a lot of disgruntlement of the perfomace of the national government being "kicked about" for scandals, lets not forget the effect that their national policies are and have had a major detrimental effect on local government since they came to power.Affecting housing, the introduction of the Human Rights act to become enshrined into British Law has only served, not to improve our qualities of life, but to help subsidies the enormous number of lawyers passing "the bar exam". by the way, both of the No.10 incumbents are qualified lawyers
Agreed !
That "technical breakdown" when Blunkett was asked about Prescott did seem rather too convenient.
Nick - you talk of this reschuffle, but is it really a proper reschuffle, if all roles aren't considered: if Mr Blair wants to enliven and bring new life to his Cabinet, then it needs to be very far reaching.
Nick
Tell us about Simon Hughes's shirt.
interesting nick that no one on the panel with regards to the news of the drawn result made any kind of relevant point. No one on the panel mentioned the fact that it is so important to vote...so depressing that the political elite...politicians.. journalists like yourself and broadcasters didnt make that point... one vote there either way could have made the change...
best wishes.
The best thing for Tony Blair to do would be to move Gordon Brown from the Treasury to the Foreign Office or Home Office surely that would show to the public that he was a PM in charge? Or Blair should announce a date for his departure late on in the Parliament say 2009 and call Brown's bluff. This would make the so-called Brownites such as Nick Brown come out of the shadows.
Manjit wrote:
"The best thing for Tony Blair to do would be to move Gordon Brown from the Treasury to the Foreign Office or Home Office surely that would show to the public that he was a PM in charge?"
Blair can sack Brown, but he can't make him take another job that he doesn't want. If he did tell Brown to go, the latter's supporters would probably organise, within the Labour Party, a vote of no confidence in Blair. This would be quite likely to succeed, partly, though not entirely, because of the events of the last week.
The Labour Chief Whip, interviewed on the ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ this morning, was careful not to deny that he would support such a vote, if it was proposed.
I agree with the comment on 'Where's Gordon'?
Last night his approval rating for PM was quoted as being the highest (46%). He wants to press home his credentials as a leader by asking us to increase United States-esque 'gushingness'for our flag, he runs towards the first environmental platform he can find in panicked response to the Tories, and then disappears when his party (and hundreds of Labour councillors)need their most popular figure most, Great leadership!
7 mins Nick! Given the knock through the wall, Gordon would be out of bed, dressed,and choosing wall paper next door, all in under 5mins!