Verdict out on Cabinet re-jig
The verdict is out on the dramatic changes made today at the top end of the Labour leadership.
Prime Minister Tony Blair rejigged his Cabinet in a bid to reinvigorate his long-term project of reforming public services and preparing the groundwork for the adoption of the single currency.
But the closure of the Welsh and Scottish Offices has been condemned as a ‘dog’s breakfast’ by opposition parties.
With the creation of the Department of Constitutional Affairs, the Welsh and Scottish Offices will close as they were believed to be a drain on resources, despite having a relatively little workload.
Instead, Transport Secretary Alistair Darling will head Scottish affairs in the Commons and Lord Falconer will start his new job as Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs.
Alex Salmond of the Scottish National Party said: ‘No-one will regret the departure of Helen Liddell and the Scotland Office, which was a vast waste of resources.
‘But it is utterly extraordinary that an unelected peer will have cabinet responsibility for Scotland – the first time since Lord Rosebery was a caretaker Scottish Secretary for a few weeks in 1945.
‘Scotland has lost Stalin’s granny and inherited Tony’s crony – whose only previous claim to fame was to be minister for the disastrous London Dome.’
Welsh Tory leader Nick Bourne slammed the move as ‘a disaster.’
He said: ‘Tony Blair has shown his complete and utter contempt for Wales by massively diluting our representation at Cabinet level.
‘This has been a disastrous reshuffle for Wales, and you can bet your bottom dollar that Rhodri Morgan won’t be voicing these very real and serious concerns.’
Critics have bemoaned the loss of the Lord Chancellor’s Department, formed in 1885, which comes to an end following the retirement of Lord Chancellor, Lord Irvine of Lairg.
The Lord Chancellor had responsibility for overseeing the administration of courts in England and Wales.
Lord Falconer will head its replacement. He has pledged to work in close cooperation with the Home Office to ensure the criminal justice system functions more effectively.
But Michael Howard QC, the Shadow Chancellor, attacked the move and the appointment of Lord Falconer.
‘The man in charge of our constitutional future is that man who presided over the fiasco of the Millennium Dome. Not only is he Tony’s crony, but he is a failed crony.’
But Mark Littlewood, of human rights campaign group, Liberty, welcomed the move. He said: “At last there will be a clearer separation between judges and politicians.
‘Some may lament the abolition of a position which has an even longer history than that of Prime Minister, but a modern democracy needs to be based on sensible and logical rules, not on anachronistic traditions.
Earlier today, Blairite Alan Milburn announced his resignation from the Department of Health for ‘personal’ family reasons.
He told Channel Four News why: ‘It is virtually impossible -and for me it has proved impossible to have this 24 hour seven day a week job; or this job anyway in Government and to have anything that is remotely like a normal family life.’
Dr John Reid, current Leader of the House gets the new brief. Former Minister for Europe and spokesman on Welsh issues, Peter Hain, becomes Leader of the House.
Mr. Milburn was tipped to contend the Labour leadership at some point in the future. Some have said Mr. Milburn’s shock exit today has cleared the way for Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown’s ascendancy.
Mark Seddon, editor of the socialist-inclining Tribune magazine, said: ‘He clashed with Gordon Brown over this and some people are saying that perhaps Alan Milburn felt he had to leave as the price of some sort of pact between Gordon Blair and Tony Blair.’
