UK General Discussion

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Jeremy Hunt promoted to Health. What a lovely reward for corruption.

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IDS is staying at the DWP after having turned down Justice last night. The LibDems won't be happy... and it shows Dave's still too weak with the Tory right.

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Ken Clarke's the new Minister without Portfolio.

Nice retirement role. He'll be retiring in 2015, obviously.

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A lot of people pointing out how difficult this is for Osborne. Chris Grayling, now moved to Justice, will want prison money, IDS won't budge on the welfare budget and Ken Clarke in his new "it's a bit've everything: economy, domestic stuff, etc" job might make things a tad awkward for him.

Villiers to NI. Paterson to DEFRA.

Justine Greening's been in Number 10 for 45 minutes now, harsh negotiation going on.

No LibDems in the cabinet are moving and David Laws is expected to become the junior at Education (pushing Gove further to the right, probably).

McLoughlin confirmed for Transport. 3rd runway, here we come.

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Greening to International Development. She'll be disappointed.

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Maria Miller to Media.

I think that just leaves Chairman. Shapps is the only guy left in Number 10. 2+2=4 on that one.

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Favourite odity of the reshuffle: with a name like David Jones, you're born to Welsh Secretary.

The BBC points out that he's also, surprisingly enough, the first Jones to take the job.

[Supersonic]

A rather boring re-shuffle on the whole it seems.

The only decent changes from my point of view is that the liberal Clarke is out and a right-winger, in the form of Grayling, is at Justice. Andrew Mitchell will be an excellent Chief Whip, and the disaster that is Lady Warsi is replaced by Grant Schapps.

It's rather telling that Justine Greening has been thrown out of Transport after less than a year, she looked fuming after leaving Downing Street.

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It's rather telling that Justine Greening has been thrown out of Transport after less than a year, she looked fuming after leaving Downing Street.

Greening to Health and Hunt to International Development would've been more sensible! After the disaster of a term he had at Media, why the hell does Jeremy Hunt deserve such a big promotion? He was in over his head at Media, never mind Health.

[Supersonic]

It's rather telling that Justine Greening has been thrown out of Transport after less than a year, she looked fuming after leaving Downing Street.

Greening to Health and Hunt to International Development would've been more sensible! After the disaster of a term he had at Media, why the hell does Jeremy Hunt deserve such a big promotion? He was in over his head at Media, never mind Health.

I agree. After the whole Murdoch scenario he's not exactly the best person to take up the Health portfolio, at least Greening was something of a blank slate.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Look, the fact that Hunt wasn't fired earlier this year was a pretty strong indication that Number 10 likes him. A lot. Reshuffles are about politics not 'competence' and politics is about power.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Interesting piece here:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/law/2012/sep/04/chris-grayling-justice-secretary-non-lawyer

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Political Betting points out that Zac Goldsmith has threatened to resign if the government goes ahead with the third runway.

Richmond Park would make for one of the most interesting by-elections the country's had in a long time and he knows it.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/election2010/results/constituency/d70.stm

[Filuwaúrdjan]

I doubt it would be interesting at all, actually. All much of muchness. Anyway. I say that they build a new bloody airport there; would make a change to see the obscenely rich get a kick in the teeth from a mammoth national infrastructure project.

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I doubt it would be interesting at all, actually. All much of muchness. Anyway. I say that they build a new bloody airport there; would make a change to see the obscenely rich get a kick in the teeth from a mammoth national infrastructure project.

To be fair to Goldsmith, he's mega rich and he loves the environment.

[Supersonic]

Richmond Park would make for one of the most interesting by-elections the country's had in a long time and he knows it.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/election2010/results/constituency/d70.stm

Tory hold is the most likely outcome here.

The Liberal vote will be weakened due to defectors voting Labour. Labour themselves lack any significant base in Richmond Park making it rather unlikely they'll win it. The Conservatives should pull it off if Goldsmith does a 'Davis' and stands as the Conservative candidate again, if he runs as an independent, then it will be interesting.

[minionofmidas]

Chloe Smith is no longer Economic Secretary to the Treasury, but is instead Parliamentary Secretary for the Cabinet Office. Is that any kind of promotion or demotion? Obviously her career has been of interest to all and any observer since that memorable day in june.

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Chloe Smith is no longer Economic Secretary to the Treasury, but is instead Parliamentary Secretary for the Cabinet Office. Is that any kind of promotion or demotion? Obviously her career has been of interest to all and any observer since that memorable day in june.

Demotion. Economic Secretary is like being the Chancellor's number 3 (after the Chief Secretary).

[Peter the Lefty]

Wow.  I must say, this reshuffle is...interesting.  In the mean time, the new leader of the Green Party is Natalie Bennett, an Australian-born former journalist.  A total unknown, who sounded incredibly nervous in her acceptance speech.  The guy who's interviewing her is an idiot.  But she is pretty weak and has nowhere near the ability to answer a question nor the charisma of Lucas. 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NEc-M8n22Kk
This whole Greenie thing of "I'm stepping down to give someone else a chance" right when it has the most momentum is really *facepalm*-inducing, I've got to say. 

[Supersonic]

This whole Greenie thing of "I'm stepping down to give someone else a chance" right when it has the most momentum is really *facepalm*-inducing, I've got to say. 

Nigel Farage did this with UKIP.

He returned after two years.

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Cameron called the government "strong and united" today at PMQs. Brought on a good amount of laughing from myself.

[MaxQue]

Cameron called the government "strong and united" today at PMQs. Brought on a good amount of laughing from myself.

Oh, he is inspired by Harper.

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Cameron called the government "strong and united" today at PMQs. Brought on a good amount of laughing from myself.

Oh, he is inspired by Harper.

Ah, but Harper doesn't have every section of the government except for his own clique of about 10 cabinet ministers attacking him constantly.

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzDjo2CbO0Y&feature=share

Theresa May booed!

[Leftbehind]

What programme is that?