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Cameron's reshuffle

January 19, 2009 16:40

My old Spectator colleague, Fraser Nelson, hits the nail on the head in his post about today's reshuffle:

 For me, this reshuffle is blemished by the puzzling decision to make Theresa May shadow work and pensions secretary. Welfare reform is, by some margin, the toughest task in politics. If Cameron was genuinely planning to go through with it, he’d realise it would be his single most important departmental appointment. You’re talking about liberating millions of people from welfare dependency. You need someone with the knowledge and energy to engage in hand-to-hand combat with the system – as Milburn did on health and Adonis on city academies. It requires the most energetic, most aggressive and determined member of his team.

...Now, I don’t have anything against Theresa May. It’s just that I’m struggling to see how she’s qualified. She’s been around for years and – to put it mildly - does not have a reputation as a nuts-and-bolts, high-energy performer. It doesn’t make sense – if you believe, of course, that Cameron regards welfare reform as being such a high priority. Perhaps he doesn’t.

Do read the whole post.

January 19, 2009 16:40

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