Should he have got a better job for fixing Gord’s coronation?

In the immediate aftermath of Jack Straw’s appointment as Brown’s campaign manager there was a widespread assumption that the man who has been both Home secretary and Foreign Secretary would be in line a top ministerial post.

Following his hugely effective operation that closed off other potential contenders and then stopped any challenge being mounted the chances of Straw getting something really big appeared to be a near certainty. Surely, it appeared, Gordon would show his gratitude when he drew up the cabinet list. There was even talk for a while of him being made Deputy PM?

So what are we to make of his new job in charge of the new Ministry of Justice. This looks like scant reward for all that he has given his leader.

In the new cabinet list that has just been issued Straw ranks in seventh position after Darling, David Miliband, Jacqui Smith, Alan Johnson, Ed Balls and John Denham. That looks like a demotion to me.

Maybe Gord doesn’t do gratitude?

UPDATE: Since writing the post the Cabinet website has “Jack Straw has also been appointed to First Secretary of State, the most senior Secretary of State in Cabinet.” So maybe I have done Gordon an injustice.

Mike Smithson