Which senior cabinet minister thinks he's been over-promoted?
James Forsyth 3:51pm
Adam Boulton has a great little scoop over at his blog, one senior member of the cabinet has been telling colleagues that he has been over promoted but that he intends "to enjoy it while it lasts". Now, it is a man which rules out Jacqui Smith, Harriet Harman, Yvette Cooper, Ruth Kelly and Hazel Blears. It is unlikely to be Jack Straw or Geoff Hoon who have previously held higher office than their current rank. That it is a senior cabinet minister seems to rule out Douglas Alexander, Andy Burnham, Ed Miliband, Shaun Woodward and Paul Murphy. Several others are unlikely to be self-aware enough to make such a comment. So, who could it be?
Previous
DMDavies
June 5th, 2008 4:06pm Report this commentMust be Alistair Darling
Max
June 5th, 2008 4:07pm Report this commentYou think Gordon Brown is that self-aware?
Max
http://theerrorlog.blogspot.com
Fraser
June 5th, 2008 4:10pm Report this commentGordon Brown?
Oscar
June 5th, 2008 4:11pm Report this commentBy rights it should be Alistair Darling. But in fact it sounds like the kind of thing Alan Johnson might say.
catesby
June 5th, 2008 4:19pm Report this commentThe cap fits Alistair Darling.
Mike, Brighton
June 5th, 2008 4:33pm Report this commentRemember the Peter principle (you are promoted to your level of incompetence). Whichever cabinet member recognises this is surprisingly self-aware, but I would content that the picture of the whole cabinet is an example of the peter principle in action
David Lindsay
June 5th, 2008 4:48pm Report this commentIt's Miliband (D), of course. And he's right.
Madasafish
June 5th, 2008 4:48pm Report this commentAny or all of them I suggest.
salieri
June 5th, 2008 4:50pm Report this commentI assume that at least one of DesBroon's jobs is a 'senior' one?
Your reason for excluding Hoon and Straw is charitable, by the way: they come into the "unlikely to be self-aware enough" category, in which Balls leads the field.
Bernard from Horsham
June 5th, 2008 5:03pm Report this commenti think its all of them.
Perry
June 5th, 2008 5:08pm Report this commentI think the question has been approached from the wrong direction.
Any of them may have said it, - as a come-on to obtain an
‘Oh no, - of course you’re not over-promoted’
kind of response.
[The gash of white sits uncomfortably amongst the darker colours. I wonder what statement this angelic, white-as-snow person, might be trying to make? Answer not required!]
TrevorH
June 5th, 2008 5:36pm Report this commentYour picture shows (I think - after a quick count) 28 people but the cabinet is not 28 is it?
22?
Its probably Des Browne ... He probably comes face to face with the consequences of his work more than the rest which will give him a sobering outlook on life.
Charlie
June 5th, 2008 5:50pm Report this commentPurnell
Alex R
June 5th, 2008 5:52pm Report this commentshaun woodwood or paul murphy.
John Page
June 5th, 2008 7:36pm Report this commentDoesn't leave many, does it? Darling, Johnson & Browne qualify - but Johnson sounds most likely to say it.
Richard Shackleton
June 5th, 2008 7:43pm Report this commentBalls...It's dismal Des (Browne)!!!
Ben Elford
June 5th, 2008 8:04pm Report this commentIt could be any or all of them, but my money would be on Ruth Kelly. Boulton did say 'he'.
Fraser Nelson
June 5th, 2008 8:26pm Report this commentI'm with Oscar - Johnson has precisely this self-deprecating humour and is already on record saying he doesnt have it in him to be PM. My guess is that Johnson said that in a jokey response to questions about his standing against Brown.
THX1138
June 5th, 2008 9:25pm Report this commentBack in the day Alan Johnson used to deliver the post to Chequers.
Ed
June 5th, 2008 10:09pm Report this commentMust be Quentin Davies.
Ah no, he is not in the cabinet. Silly me.
Give him time, give him time, he is making good progress so far.
Lee Jakeman
June 5th, 2008 10:22pm Report this commentDavid Lindsay - spot on.
The Laughing Cavalier
June 6th, 2008 8:06am Report this commentGosh, this is like trying to guess the murderer in "Murder on the Orient Express".
Hereford
June 6th, 2008 9:04am Report this commentBalls. He's the smuggest piece of work you will find in the Cabinet. He has no competence in the area he is Ministering and he's cocky enough and stupid enough to brag to people.
Ray
June 6th, 2008 9:06am Report this commentIt's Balls - by name and by nature!
Back to top