New Cabinet in numbers
Size: Old Cabinet 23, new Cabinet 22
Women: Old Cabinet 8, new Cabinet 5
Scots: Old Cabinet 5, new Cabinet 4
Number of ministers over 60: Old Cabinet 5, new Cabinet 1
Number of ministers under 40: Old Cabinet 2, new Cabinet 5
Average age: Old Cabinet 54, new Cabinet 49
Sacked, resigned or demoted: 10
cf. '' in 1962: 7
UPDATE, FRI 1350: Many of you have asked why I put up the number of Scots. I would have thought the answer was obvious. Gordon Brown is the first MP representing a Scottish seat (it's that which matters and not really where he was born) to become PM since devolution. Thus his critics will complain that his constituents will not be affected by and will not be able to hold him to account for many of his domestic policies. Agree or disagree, like it or loathe it, Brown's Scottishness will be a part of the political debate.
I'm 
Comments
Nick, what has happened to Stephen Timms? Why has Gordon chopped him? Or did he resign/retire?
Gordon could've waited until 2 weeks tomorrow for extra spookiness
John Reid and Margaret Beckett were the only real alternative to Prime Minister Brown's leadership, so it's no surprise to see John Reid step down and Margaret Beckett get the boot. Their political careers on the frontbench are effectively over. Nonetheless, I'm sure their abilities and experience will find some useful outlet. In feudal Japan, retired Samurai often became priests or teachers. Perhaps they'll find a place in the House of Lords or help bring on the next generation?
And so, the Brown Shogunate trundles on芒鈧
Hi Nick - why the need to highlight the number of Scots in the cabinet ? How many are English ?
No night of the long Knives here. If it was, how could Gordon see who he was stabbing?
How do these figures compare to Cameron's shadow cabinet?
Is the cross reference to the night of the long knives really appropriate? After all, that was in the middle of Macmillan's term, not at the start. How many changes did Major make in 1990 or Callaghan in 76?
Nick, I'm baffled as to why Jon Cruddas got nothing out of the reshuffle (and I'm not a fan of his or a Labour voter)?
With everybody moving around like ... goodness knows what, why has the man who came third in the deputy leader context and allegedly swung it for harman not been offered even an honorific post when every one of his rivals has got something? Will he get a party role or a junior post?
Whither the 'Cabinet of all the talents'? Is this a calculated slight?
Quite what has a "league table" with regards the number of Scots got to do with anything?
Is this a pointed way to let the electorate know that the Scots are still very much in government and to aid more negative comments as has occured numerously before?
Shame on the 成人论坛 for digging so low to include "the number of Scots" tally. I actually find that quite offensive.
Perhaps you should've omitted this fact as it's not really relevant.
If the job is done, does it matter what country of origin the minister comes from? Not a jot, i'd have thought.
NICK
I remember the orignal Night of the Long Knives-even if I was only 10.
7 Cabinet Ministers gone & Harold MacMillan still Prime Minister. At least this tme, there is a new PM & every justification for a clean sweep, regardless of one's own political views.
Still, at least David Milliband is unlikely to attract, as the new Foreign Secretary, the sort of comment the Mirror managed in 1962:-
"The most absurd political appointment since the Emperor Caligula appointed his horse a Pro-Consul!"
You won't remember who that referred to, I'll bet!
And STILL no Downing Street cat officially appointed-maybe Prudence is still being sought from a cat sanctuary near you!
Numbers of Welsh? Northern Irish? English? Black? Asian? Gay? Muslim? Blood group A? Liverpool supporters? Big Brother watchers? Left handed? Right handed? Golf handicaps below 5?
Why single out the Scots, women, over 60s, under 40s?
Let's have a complete breakdown or none at all.
My knowledge of history is a little off, but I can't quite remember if any of the casualties of the Night of the long knives died from self-inflicted wounds.
There are more ministers from "oop norf", so that's alright by me.
Scots?
If we are all British and part of the so called United Kingdom why should the amount of Scots in cabient be relevant?
Our Prime minister is so Scottish he now speaks with a very un-Scottish accent as he thinks it will heighten his appeal to middle England.
Are we surprised at the cabinet selection? I suspect not. What I am amazed to see is to see Ruth Kelly, the mistress of spin and procrastination still in a job. She has delivered nothing, is loathed by all and will, I am sure, manage to make a mess of Transport as she has her many previous briefs.
I wonder how Rory Bremner will get on with this lot? Prescott, Straw, Blair and Reid were ideal for him, but Milliband and Darling? He struggles with Brown anyway.
Why does the 成人论坛 persist in describing it as a reshuffle. We have a new Prime Minister appointing a new Cabinet, which is not a reshuffle. Presiding PM's can reshuffle presiding Cabinets.
It is all just political headlining and tedious in the extreme, as well as being misleading.
Has anyone taken note of when the new and old cabinet members were elected, at a guess, I would think the new is much newer i.e. many were elected in 97, 01 or 05?
Hi Nick,
Just wanted to know - what happened to TB's Resignation Honours List? I was expecting at least one Kagan-esque honour for a Tony Crony!
OK Nick, you've listed the numer of Scots in the cabinet, now can you tell us the numbers of Welsh and Northern Irish? I seem to recall that they also have their own regional assemblies - and that's a darn sight more than the English have.
The West Lothian question remains, only now compounded.
I've heard a number of political commentators say they're glad that the new Cabinet is "boring" and "uncharismatic".
Apart from our Tone, who was interesting in the last Cabinet?
I'm astonished by the numbers of folk picking up your Scots tally.
As an Englishman permanently domiciled in Scotland, it strikes me as amusing that the Scottish Prime Minister of Britain has no voice on Scottish Education [still better than English], but he and his fellow Scottish MPs will vote on the English education system.
At least the SNP have sufficient principle *not* to vote on English only issues.
*Another* reason I support them.
But then, principle and "New" Labour (or whatever we should learn to call it - "resprayed" perhaps) have never fitted well.
Surely number of Scots in old cabinet should be 6?
Brown, Browne, Alexander, Reid, Darling, Falconer
The vegetables have simply been repotted.
If this were in fact a cabinet of all the talents, why is it that GB is running around picking up individuals from other parties, business, etc. to fill the gaps in their own knowledge and experience?
In my view, the cabinet has less talent than an average Ant & Dec show. Suffice it to say that the appointment of Yvette Cooper demonstrates the point that for Gordon, the need to find a place for your cronies, and your cronies cronies has not gone away.
As to all those who concern themselves with the number of MPs in the government who represent Scottish constituencies, try to recognise the fact that all parts of the UK return members to the UK parliament and it is therefore a question of ability that you need to focus upon. Unfortunately for all of us, Mr Blair (apparently English) was anything but able or even a straight kinda guy, and this is playing out in so many parts of the world just now.
Nick
Why are you lumping the sacked, resigned and demoted together and then comparing that figure with the the night of the long knives.?
Surely its simple enough to categorise them all properly there are after all only 10 to look at or are sums not your strong point.
Perhas Evan Davis could give you a hand! (on second thoughs he's an economist so maybe not such a good idea)
Surely you should be comparing like with like. To do otherwise simply distorts the figures.
I know it is early days but who in the new cabinet gets what grace and favour home? Or is the thrifty Mr Brown going to do away with these perks?
Nick what I find offensive is that both Gordon Brown and Jack Straw refer to England as Britain, how else can you justify his remarks about education and health when they are devolved powers.
As a matter of accuracy we are citizens of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. In that UK there are 4 countries of England Ireland Scotland and Wales. There is no country called Britain and there never has been.
An intelligent man like Gordon Brown and a QC, Jack Staw should stop trying to deny the existence of England.
That then brings up the point that if Gordon Brown has such a passion about health and education in Britain whoops sorry, I mean England why does he show it by giving a Scottish family of 4 艁6000 more in government money.
"Gordon Brown is the first MP representing a Scottish seat ..... to become PM since devolution"
Since he is the only MP to become PM since devolution, I'm sure his uniqueness is not limited to his nationality or the seat he represents!
Has Ben Bradshaw been moved in the government re-shuffle?
Instead of the number of Scots, how about number of Cabinet ministers who attended Oxford or Cambridge.
In Blair's Cabinet - 8
In Brown's cabinet - 11.
The danger with mentioning Gordon Brown's Scottishness and the fact that he represents a Scottish seat is that there will be, despite valid arguments about the question, an immediate knee-jerk reaction from the inherent racists amongst the English people. (Remember how they crucified Neil Kinnock for his Welshness?)
Perhaps this is why the Tories are happy to push the West Lothian question for all its worth - they get Racist support without actually making a direct racist appeal, unlike at the 2005 general election.
My understanding is that Gordon Brown signed the Claim of right in 1988 which stated:
"We, gathered as the Scottish Constitutional Convention, do hereby acknowledge the sovereign right of the Scottish people to determine the form of Government best suited to their needs, and do hereby declare and pledge that in all our actions and deliberations their interests shall be paramount."
That combined with Gordon Brown campaigning with Nationalists for the devolved Scottish government whilst keeping the great financial advantages of taking English tax payers money is the reason his position is in doubt, as well as the West Lothian question.
Next time you see him Nick - ask him about it.
I'm sorry to see, Nick, that you seem to be joining the anti-Scottish brigade who regularly manage to get their xenophobic falsehoods posted on Have Your Say. (so much for the moderators).
Yes, I agree that perhaps there is a point to mention that Gordon Brown is Scottish, but can you also put the facts straight that Scotland is NOT the largest beneficiary from subsidies?
Of late, the 成人论坛 seems to have aquired a very anti-Scottish bias. This is immature reporting and certainly against the Charter.
If you must highlight Scottish points of interest, please also highlight that it was ENGLISH voters who elected the Labour Party. It was they who gave Labour such huge majorities.
I've lived and work in England, and travel there on business. Most people frankly don't give a toss about devolution or independance, but the 成人论坛 seems to revel in highlighting these issues.
After today's news, there are more important issues to consider.
Scots in cabinet 4/22 =19%
Scotland population as share of UK 5/60 = 8%
Share of business of UK parliament that dos not apply to Scotland (Health, Education, Criminal justice etc etc) more than 50%
Brains and ability or bias and blatant misrepresentation?
Scotland is more likely to bring down the Brown government than David Cameron. What the Scots do with their grant is up to them but we are entitled in England to ask why we can't have the same.The west lothian question will not go away,the shouts will get louder.The scots decided not to vote labour this time round ,the sky didn't cave in did it?
The union is on it's last legs.Gordon Brown may be the last scottish PM.
Nick have you noticed something- not on e of the top 3 offices of state (Chancellor,Home office and Foreign Office) is occupied by any of the 6 candidates for the deputy leadership.Don't you think that speaks volumes about how contemptuous Brown was of the way that campaign was conducted,and that he alone ,and not the party,wil decide who is in his government?
#32 Neil Small wrote:
"..I'm sorry to see Nick, you seem to be joining the anti-Scottish brigade who regularly manage to get their xenophobic falsehoods posted on have your say...."
Totally agree Neil and the one I'm most sick of hearing is the constant ranting about free elderly care in Scotland. There is no such thing. Check out the following link for details:
www.seniorsnetwork.co.uk/freecare/index.htm
-"The most absurd political appointment since the Emperor Caligula appointed his horse a Pro-Consul!"
I thought that was a comment about the 1936 appointment of Sir Thomas Inskip as Minister for the Coordination of Defence.
Do you think we should have a referendum on the EU treaty?
Why is it the 成人论坛 won't start a HYS on the treaty. They are not biased are they?
I am not anti Scot but anti INjustice and that is what devolvement in its present form is.ENGLAND is the only country in Europe that does not have self-governence, this is unjust. the referendums held for regional assemblies was given a resounding NO this has been ignored by our listening P.M. and very stealthly he has put in place Ministers for the regions of ENGLAND apart from the south east region which of course is a region of France this is UNJUST.Nick I have questioned my MP about this as of yet no reply so maybe its a question you could pose next time you chat with the PM.
Unless the English wake up and smell the coffee there aint gonna be no England.and to all the Scots good luck, Alex Salmond is doing what is right for his people more power to his elbow,all I ask for is parity for the ENGLISH, cos it sure beats what is happening in England, where the nearly blind and cancer patients having to go to court to try and get medication.THIS IS UNJUST