James Purnell is the new Work and Pensions Secretary

For the three hours after Hain resigned, several names flew – none James Purnell. But thinking about it, his appointment makes sense. Aged 37 he will add zest to Brown’s team, and he knows the DWP (he was pensions minister until Brown took over). He gave his first-ever interview to me in June (read it here) and I quizzed him about welfare. He’d stonewall, saying his brief was pensions. He’ll be getting his head around it rather quickly now. A clever appointment, made far sooner than I expected.