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Cabinet reshuffle today

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brad465

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Hopefully this is okay in a new thread, but it's just been reported a cabinet reshuffle (Johnson's first full one since becoming PM) is taking place over the rest of today:


Prime Minister Boris Johnson is about to reshuffle his ministerial team, Downing Street has told the BBC.
He is expected to begin firing ministers and appointing replacements over the coming hours.
A No 10 source said: "The PM will today conduct a reshuffle to put in place a strong and united team to Build Back Better from the pandemic."
Education Secretary Gavin Williamson and Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab are among those rumoured to be moved.
The Downing Street source added: "The government must also redouble our efforts to deliver on the people's priorities.
"The PM will be appointing ministers this afternoon with a focus on uniting and levelling up the whole country."
 
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eastdyke

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Why now? -
A distracting/displacement activity to focus away from:
The Covid 'response', tax rises, 3.2% inflation, ..... watch out for other buried news .....
 

nlogax

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Williamson's already given a farewell speech to his staff. Both him and Raab aren't on the front bench so a fairly safe assumption. Question is now re. Patel. She needs to be turfed out alongside the other two.
 

brad465

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Williamson's already given a farewell speech to his staff. Both him and Raab aren't on the front bench so a fairly safe assumption. Question is now re. Patel. She needs to be turfed out alongside the other two.
Given how poorly Williamson rates among party member's, getting rid of him would be an easy win. The fact Patel needs "turfing out" is probably why she'll stay on (I hope I'm wrong of course).
 

Typhoon

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Great - are they going to move in some sensible, mature, intelligent people to run the country?
If he replaces failed sycophants by new sycophants Johnson will have just have bought himself time. He has to bite the bullet and encourage some of those who are able but will question his decisions and won't be joining the chant of numbers of hospitals etc to join the cabinet (in senior positions). The likes of Ellwood, Mercer and Tugendhat.

Sacking is easy, PM after PM have found that, identifying suitable replacements is a different matter.

The fact Patel needs "turfing out" is probably why she'll stay on (I hope I'm wrong of course).

She was on the Front Bench for PMQs so probably safe (if not Home Office, an equivalent high office of state).
 

jfollows

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If he replaces failed sycophants by new sycophants Johnson will have just have bought himself time. He has to bite the bullet and encourage some of those who are able but will question his decisions and won't be joining the chant of numbers of hospitals etc to join the cabinet (in senior positions). The likes of Ellwood, Mercer and Tugendhat.

Sacking is easy, PM after PM have found that, identifying suitable replacements is a different matter.
You make a very good point, the idea of the Cabinet is that it includes dissenting voices so that the PM can listen to them as well before making bad decisions.
Unfortunately Boris was one of these in May's Cabinet and presumably he miscalculates that it's better to have a Cabinet of sycophants to make his life easier, unlike how he made her life difficult when he was a member of the Cabinet - at least he makes Raab look good as Foriegn Secretary in comparison to his own woeful performance in the post!
I hope Priti Patel goes but I'm not sure she will. I find her especially loathsome!

EDIT Robert Peston says that Priti Patel is "not looking happy" so there's hope yet ...... (https://twitter.com/Peston)
Robert Peston
@Peston
·
12m
Ministerial source: “@pritipatel not looking happy”. I simply pass on
 
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Ianigsy

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I remember a Yes Minister where it's pointed out that the average British government has about 350 MPs, however at any one time a third of those are in their first term as MPs and don't have the experience of how things work, another third are either looking to stand down at the next election or have no interest in a government post, so once you take every position into account it's not much more than a 2:1 ratio of candidates to positions.
 

Typhoon

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Williamson's out as Education Secretary with no new post confirmed for him.
Also Robert Buckland as Justice Secretary. I fear this means Priti Patel is staying and Buckland is the scapegoat. Amanda Milling has been to see Johnson. (Yes, who?)

One I didn't expect, Jenrick out at housing. That's Johnson responding to constituents complaining about changes to planning.
 

brad465

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Raab is now Justice Secretary, Lord Chancellor and Deputy PM (he was sort of the latter anyway but sounds like it might be official now). Let's hope he knows where the Justice Department actually is.
 

geoffk

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Is Johnson gearing up to a May election? We've already seen the border checks on goods from the EU pushed back to July.
 

brad465

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Is Johnson gearing up to a May election? We've already seen the border checks on goods from the EU pushed back to July.
There are rumours of a 2022 election, under the belief that things won't get any better for the Government, so want to take their chances before their popularity sinks too much. Some sources have reported Tory constituency parties have been ordered to find candidates in anticipation. If a Spring 2022 election was called, this Parliament's length would be comparable to the 2017-2019 one that the DUP were offered a bung to prop up May's Government when her call backfired.
 

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There are rumours of a 2022 election, under the belief that things won't get any better for the Government, so want to take their chances before their popularity sinks too much. Some sources have reported Tory constituency parties have been ordered to find candidates in anticipation. If a Spring 2022 election was called, this Parliament's length would be comparable to the 2017-2019 one that the DUP were offered a bung to prop up May's Government when her call backfired.

Ideal for Johnson really. He can be the PM who won two elections, delivered Brexit, saved the UK from the Pandemic and then retire to a cushy job at somewhere like the Telegraph writing whatever lies he feels like. Meanwhile all the fallout from delivering Brexit and saving the UK from the Pandemic will fall on someone else. Perfect.
 

jfollows

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Priti Patel stays as Home Secretary, oh well, I was slightly hopeful for a while ......
 

Spamcan81

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Also Robert Buckland as Justice Secretary. I fear this means Priti Patel is staying and Buckland is the scapegoat. Amanda Milling has been to see Johnson. (Yes, who?)

One I didn't expect, Jenrick out at housing. That's Johnson responding to constituents complaining about changes to planning.
Your fears have been proved correct. The sooner that odious woman is consigned to political history the better.
 

Typhoon

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Ideal for Johnson really. He can be the PM who won two elections, delivered Brexit, saved the UK from the Pandemic and then retire to a cushy job at somewhere like the Telegraph writing whatever lies he feels like. Meanwhile all the fallout from delivering Brexit and saving the UK from the Pandemic will fall on someone else. Perfect.
Needs to get in quick before the Great British Public realise the increase in National Insurance is making minimal difference to the NHS queues and the (reduced) dividend cheques start rolling in. There will also be increases in Council Tax, and I have heard another round of energy price rises are on the cards. Still I don't suppose he cares. I would think that he will be more one for the after dinner speaches circuit, seeing what Osborne is paid (and he is not exactly Mr Entertainment), and Johnson can probably get away with recycling the same one or two. Newspaper articles - they have to be different, more work.

Your fears have been proved correct. The sooner that odious woman is consigned to political history the better.
I hope she and Raab get on, the remit of the Home Office and Justice are rather close together. There could be some entertaining mud slinging between the two.
Truss new Foreign Secretary.
Was odds on favourite.
 

PHILIPE

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Priti Patel stays as Home Secretary, oh well, I was slightly hopeful for a while ......

Miss promise but doesn't deliver. The migrants will keep on coming and will she keep on giving money to the French who will then laugh at her behind her back.
 

brad465

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I hope she and Raab get on, the remit of the Home Office and Justice are rather close together. There could be some entertaining mud slinging between the two.
Perhaps that's the plan, if they're mud slinging then the camera's are not on what Johnson's messing up and at the same time Raab and Patel are damaging their chances for undermining Johnson.
 

DarloRich

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And where are they going to get such mythical persons from?
Sorry, I heard the term PM and for a moment forgot we were led by an incompetent liar with the morals of an alley cat supported by a coterie of simpletons and inadequates.
Truss new Foreign Secretary.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Close it down. Britain is gone. Finished.
 

birchesgreen

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Sorry, I heard the term PM and for a moment forgot we were led by an incompetent liar with the morals of an alley cat supported by a coterie of simpletons and inadequates.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Close it down. Britain is gone. Finished.
It gets worse, Nadine Dorries is now a cabinet minister.
 

SteveM70

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Mad Nad in cabinet is almost beyond belief levels of awfulness. The sort of stuff Ianucci would’ve rejected for the Thick Of It as being too far fetched.

And unless I’m missing something, Raab’s new jobs are something of a conflict of interest.

The fact that Liz Truss is considered to be one of the most able tells you everything you need to know about the dearth of talent amongst those Johnson is prepared to appoint.
 

Typhoon

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Mad Nad in cabinet is almost beyond belief levels of awfulness. The sort of stuff Ianucci would’ve rejected for the Thick Of It as being too far fetched.

And unless I’m missing something, Raab’s new jobs are something of a conflict of interest.

The fact that Liz Truss is considered to be one of the most able tells you everything you need to know about the dearth of talent amongst those Johnson is prepared to appoint.
... or are prepared to serve under Johnson.

Its not exactly a Ministry of All The Talents.

Dorries will be much more the cartoonists and satirists dream than the dull Dowden (what is the point of giving him a job which is supposed to link with the grass roots). Maybe Javid insisted Johnson move her?

If Johnson thinks that this is a team to fight the election, he must be living in cuckoo land. And it is a move away from the centre.
 

Senex

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Sorry, I heard the term PM and for a moment forgot we were led by an incompetent liar with the morals of an alley cat supported by a coterie of simpletons and inadequates.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Close it down. Britain is gone. Finished.
This is when I'd really like a "Like" (or even "Love") button here!
 

jfollows

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David Aaronivitch, who's a reformed left-winger, wrote an article in 2019 in which he said that for the first time in his life he believed he could do a better job than any of the general election candidates. That resonated with me too, I'm a reformed right-winger perhaps, but I agreed with him then that I had always had some respect for election candidates up to Theresa May. Now, none. And my opinion hasn't changed since - a bunch of incompetents who play games with peoples' lives for their own benefits, no concept of national interest or trustworthiness. I could go on, but I think I'll stop!
 
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