May 7, 2005
KILLING FLOOR:
Hoon is axed as Blair shuffles Cabinet (FRASER NELSON, 5/07/05, The Scotsman)
TONY Blair last night announced a wide-reaching Cabinet reshuffle, sacking Geoff Hoon as Defence Secretary and bringing back David Blunkett only four months after his resignation.Within hours of his general election victory, Mr Blair moved John Reid to defence and Patricia Hewitt to health and promoted Douglas Alexander to Minister for Europe. Mr Blunkett is the new Work and Pensions secretary.
The moves were taken in close co-operation with Gordon Brown, the Chancellor, in the first evidence of the power-sharing deal suggested by their joint election campaigning in the last five weeks.
After no more than two hours’ sleep, Mr Blair and Mr Brown spent yesterday in 10 Downing Street piecing together a government for a new House of Commons where their majority is down from 161 to 66.
Pretty impressive that they had an election where all three major parties are seen to have lost. Posted by Orrin Judd at May 7, 2005 7:54 AM
But not surprising for a country that is sliding, even by gravitation, towards the pit of the continent.
Posted by: jim hamlen at May 7, 2005 8:25 AMAnd the Ulster Unionists lost as well. Also, Plaid Cyrmu, the Welsh Nationalists, clearly lost.
Posted by: John Thacker at May 7, 2005 9:53 AMJim: It's a sad day when Britain has a "Minister for Europe," and an even sadder day when that portfolio is seen as a promotion.
Posted by: David Cohen at May 7, 2005 10:12 AMDavid - Aren't "Minister for Europe" and "Defence Secretary" the same position?
Posted by: pj at May 7, 2005 10:58 AMI saw John Reid on CSpan 2 and he seemed like a pretty impressive figure.
Posted by: bart at May 7, 2005 11:08 AMI have no idea who Douglas Alexander is, but to be 'Minister for Europe', one would hope he looks (and acts) like Falstaff. Or Harry. But nothing in between.
Posted by: jim hamlen at May 7, 2005 11:06 PM