Downing Street’s mini-shuffle announced this morning to coincide with a joint Cameron Fallon visit to a green car plant is intriguing. Having made some inquiries, it seems that the aim was to move John Hayes out of DECC, where he was still clashing spectacularly with the Secretary of State Ed Davey and alarming some in the industry, and Michael Fallon in. Everything else followed from that.
Fallon’s additional responsibilities are yet another sign of the high regard Number 10 holds him in. Fallon might be culturally, and politically, quite different from most of those in Number 10 but they have come to see him as their safest pair of hands. I’d be surprised if he isn’t elevated to the Cabinet before the next election. Indeed, Number 10 sources are stressing today that they accept that the BIS and DECC Minister of State jobs can’t be done together for that long given the workload.
Given Hayes’ position in the party, he was always going to be found a prominent role and he will be delighted to have made it to the Cameron inner sanctum. He has always felt that he could help on the party management side. Allies of his touted him as an ideal chief whip following Andrew Mitchell’s resignation, but the appointment of Sir George Young dashed that.
There are, though, concerns among Tory MPs that Hayes, an old fashioned charmer, is not the sort to tell the PM things he doesn’t want to hear. They remember well how Hayes issued a statement on behalf of Cornerstone backing coalition at a time when many of its members were on the fence.
Sam Gyimah will continue as Cameron’s PPS. Those Tory MPs who are not fans of the Prime Minister have been surprised, and impressed, at how willing the ever-courteous Gyimah has been to convey uncomfortable messages to the Prime Minister. Downing Street has been left in no doubt as to the strength of feeling on the backbenches on various issues. Gyimah’s friendship with both Camerons means that Hayes’ arrival won’t really change the nature of his relationship with the Prime Minister.
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