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Some advice for Brown’s second year: find a John Reid and bring back Charles Clarke

Steve Richards

Wednesday, 25th June 2008

Steve Richards reviews the week in politics

I am told that there are two reasons why there has not been a reshuffle so far this summer. Rightly, Mr Brown concludes Cabinet changes that take place in response to gloomy news are always written off as a panic measure. There is also another more precise reason for the delay. Downing Street is keen for the Health Secretary, Alan Johnson, to play the Chris Patten role. It would be daft to move him before the end of the pivotal review of the NHS, due for completion later this summer. Mr Johnson might not want the role even then, but someone has to do it and soon.

Mr Brown could also calm things a little by making sure potential troublemakers stay on board. The case of Charles Clarke springs to mind. Mr Clarke has been the most public thorn in the side of Mr Brown. This is not that surprising in the light of his exchanges with the Prime Minister at the end of last year. The former Cabinet minister had been promised an important job soon after Mr Brown became Prime Minister. After waiting months Mr Clarke was finally offered the dubious role of special envoy to Basra with responsibilities for renovating some of the run-down locations in the town.

This was not exactly a subtle attempt to remove a noisy dissenter. As Mr Clarke has had cause to reflect, if he had not been assassinated en route to Basra, he would have been highly vulnerable as he presided over the town’s renovation. He chose to remain a thorn in the side, a much safer position.

I focus on the smaller matters in the control of the Prime Minister because the wider picture remains so obviously daunting and for an underestimated reason. Even the most brilliant politicians tend to have only one big project in them. The co-architect of new Labour, Mr Brown rose to the immense challenges of the 1990s, winning trust on the economy while still being able to invest in public services. It was a mammoth achievement. Now he must find new ways of reviving an exhausted, confused party. He remains a figure of extraordinary stamina and wilful determination, but if he finds another compelling narrative, a mesmerising sequel, he will break with political precedent.

Steve Richards is chief political commentator of the Independent.

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cuffleyburgers

June 27th, 2008 6:08pm

The economy may have been hi sbig project but there's not doubting he made a right royal mess of it, he brought chaos to everything he touched.

Anan

June 30th, 2008 8:57pm

The economy did "well" beacause of the golden legacy he achieved from Ken Clarke. And while he has pumped money into the public services, the vast majority of our money has gone into creating pen-pushing bureaucrats of limited intelligence and skill. Why do you liberal media idiots call yourselves "Independent" when you are so utterly left-wing, almost to the point of fascism (and not far off). Praise the stars that your entire medium is dying away, in no small part due to your descent into partisan cheerleading, shoddy journalism and worst of all, an extremely crap level of English. Good riddance, losers.

You and the rest of your eco-fascist colleagues will not missed.

Anan

June 30th, 2008 8:59pm

The economy did "well" beacause of the golden legacy that was handed to this joke of a chancellor/PM from Ken Clarke. And while he has pumped money into the public services, the vast majority of our money has gone into creating pen-pushing bureaucrats of limited intelligence and skill. Why do you liberal media idiots call yourselves "Independent" when you are so utterly left-wing, almost to the point of fascism (and not far off).

I praise the stars that your entire medium is dying away, in no small part due to your descent into partisan cheerleading, shoddy journalism and worst of all, an extremely crap level of English. Good riddance, losers.

You and the rest of your eco-fascist colleagues will not missed.

carol42

June 30th, 2008 11:46pm

One big difference between Brown and Callaghan and Major. Both these PMs were still generally liked even as their parties became hated and both fought a hard election to become leader. Brown was 'crowned' after years of undermining Blair and making sure no one was left to stand against him then having a Cabinet of nonenties so no one could outshine him - some joke that. Unlike the other two Brown is loathed, not only in England if the Scottish blogs are to be believed, and from the people I speak to, regardless of their political persuasion. I don't think there is any way back for him and no one left who could do any better. I just dread the scorched earth that he could leave in another two years.

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