Cameron shouldn't be so complacent about the quality of his top team
James Forsyth 3:27pm
The Telegraph is reporting that David Cameron won’t reshuffle the shadow cabinet. This is a mistake. There’s some dead wood in the shadow cabinet that needs chopping out - last year The Spectator revealed that Cameron only thought 10 of its members were up to being ministers - some apparent conflicts of interest that need resolving and some talent that needs including.
Cameron should start by telling his top team that the level of scrutiny on them is going to be turned up in the coming months so any second jobs that could in anyway be seen to overlap with their responsibilities must go. Anyone who isn’t prepared to comply with this should be dropped in the reshuffle. Some Tories grimly speculate that the shadow cabinet wouldn’t wear this, but seeing how close to power they are I suspect most of them would.
Next, Cameron should work out who he would like in his first cabinet and have the shadow cabinet reflect that. This might mean bringing back big beasts such as Ken Clarke—he would be a fantastic shadow home secretary—and promoting the most talented people outside the shadow cabinet—Greg Clark, Paul Goodman and Maria Miller are all worthy of a spot at the top table.
Labour is handicapped by having so much of its talent on the backbenches and not in the cabinet because of various splits and scandals. The Tories should capitalise on this by fielding their strongest team.
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Comments
Dirty Euro
October 2nd, 2008 4:19pmThe tories should prmote Ken Clarke to be Shadow Chancellor. And make Anne Widdecombe Leader of the house of commons.
He want a reshuffle who is the joker in the pack. It has to be the entire front bench of tories.
Dirty Euro
October 2nd, 2008 4:29pmThe Combined government experience front benches of tory party contains just two people who have been in government.
William Hague
Has had a few positions
1) Parliamentary Private Secretary to Chancellor to Lamont
2) Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at Department of Social Security.
3) Minister of State at the DSS with responsibility for Social Security and Disabled People.
4) Secretary of State for Wales 1995 -97
Francis Maude
1) Parliamentary Private Secretary for the Minister for Employment
2) assistant government whip (1985–87)
3) Minister for Corporate and Consumer Affairs (1987–89).
4) Minister of State for Europe
5) Financial Secretary to the Treasury 1990 - 92
So only one tory front bencher has been in a real cabinet.
Mrs Thacther had 4 years as education secretery before she reached the top position.
I would promote Ken Clarke, Rifkind, Michael Ancram, and Trimble to the shadow cabinet.
They all have experience. But hey I am labour so why would you listen to guys who know how to win elections. :
Alex R
October 2nd, 2008 4:45pmAgreed. Lansley and Grieve should be replaced with those better qualified.
Chris
October 2nd, 2008 4:49pmJust remind us of what Tony Blair's and Gordon Brown's minsterial experience was before 1997, would you, Dirtbag Eurine?
CS
October 2nd, 2008 4:50pm***But hey I am labour so why would you listen to guys who know how to win elections.***
Altogether now: OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH!!! Get the madam!
David (One of many)
October 2nd, 2008 4:55pmAnd of course you'd give the Tories advice that would help them do exactly that, wouldn't you Dirty Euro?
Trimble should have a position, and I agree with James about some of the new blood. But Cameron mustn't turn his Cabinet back into Major's or Thatcher's.
Blue Porcupine
October 2nd, 2008 4:59pm"There’s some dead wood in the shadow cabinet that needs chopping out"
*cough* Osbourne *cough*
Ian Walker
October 2nd, 2008 5:02pmI wonder what he'll do with David Davies? He got the namecheck in the speech, so he might come back in.
Party chairman would be a good bet; get rid of the tainted Spelman and replace her with someone seen in the eyes of the public as putting principle above ambition.
TrevorsDen
October 2nd, 2008 5:08pmThe only name worth thinking about here is Trimble.
The rest are either useless or too divisive.
Who cares about the quality of the 'top team', we have been governed by idiots for centuries. Whats new.
Tony Blairs top team were useless. The first thing which 'ethical' Robin Cook did was to try to install his mistress as his diary secretary.
What we need is a cabinet to stick to (not get back to) basics. We used to have a civil service - it might be nice to get them back.
Andrew Forbes
October 2nd, 2008 5:15pmThere's got to be room for John Redwood around the big table; Do they have anyone cleverer, or who thinks as clearly?
Tiberius
October 2nd, 2008 5:19pmDirty Euro: you heard what Cameron said about experience yesterday.
Why don't you do a tabulation of experience for all Labour MPs. It would look impressive, but the fact remains they're all useless.
[You can now take your tongue out of your cheek].
Tim Hedges
October 2nd, 2008 5:24pmYou can't promote Ken Clarke because he would resign as soon as powers were repatriated from Brussels and lots of others would resign if they weren't. I wouldn't have any of the old farts - this is supposed to be something new.
Jo Homes
October 2nd, 2008 5:26pmJust keep Nadine Dorries out of the shadow cabinet. The woman in trouble.
Mike. Brighton
October 2nd, 2008 5:27pmDirty Euro (Socialist).
Please remind me what government experience Tony Blair's 1st cabinet had?
Experience does not bring change.
PS Please not the europhile Ken Clarke. All the Biased-BBC does is call him up to quote him on some EU story. His quote is at odds with Cameron/Osborne or Tory policy and hey presto! Biased-BBC leads with some story on "Tory Splits".
Fergus Pickering
October 2nd, 2008 5:41pmBut Dirty Euro you didn't win in 1997 by filling the cabinet with people who had had experience now did you? None of them had had any. Anyay, what's this experience thing? Jack Straw's had plenty of experience of being an arse in government. But what has he actually done? Go on. Think.
Gordon
October 2nd, 2008 6:10pm"Labour is handicapped by having so much of its talent on the backbenches and not in the cabinet"??? Field disagrees with Gordon too much, Byers is seen as too Blairite and it is questionable whether he would improve the average competence level in the cabinet. Other than that there is Clarke, Milburn, Reid and Blunkett. You could call them the "big beasts" etc but most people wouldn't take them seriously and quite rightly
GeoffH
October 2nd, 2008 6:20pmReshuffling the Shadow Cabinet is pointless.
Cameron can move them about when he appoint them to real posts in Government.
TGF UKIP
October 2nd, 2008 7:23pmAs a good old fashioned, paternalistic, "One Nation" SocDem Tory Ken Clarke would fit in perfectly with Dave and his gang.
Big mouth, gigantic ego, proven to be hugely disruptive and loved by the BBC for rubbishing any vaguely eurosceptic or genuinely conservative policy proposals - YES, YES, YES - I would love to see Clarke in Cameron's top team.
Draper 'watcher' General (Son of Athesius)
October 2nd, 2008 8:13pmDirty euro sounds like he is the 'Drapermiester general'. And as a Draper clone he should be reminded that he was sacked before neo labour won the second election. And the Tory's won 4 on the trot, I can't see neo labour doing that somehow.
Dirty Euro
October 2nd, 2008 9:32pmChris you are the dirt bag. And why do you insult this continent.