Has Cameron done the right thing?

If BBC News has got this right and the story above is correct then Ken Clarke is about to return to the Shadow Cabinet and the first PB betting call of 2009 has come good. I’ve got a fair bit on at 6/4 and I hope others have too.

The big question is how this is going to play politically and whether Cameron’s gamble is going to pay off.

Clearly the leader needed a big hitter in his line-up and Clarke will bring a lot to the table. The real risk is that he is very much his own man and to many Tory traditionalists he could be like a red rag to a bull.

But with the latest polling going all Cameron’s way the leader is in a strong position.

Tomorrow evening I’m at a party in London which is being given by CONservativehome – not the greatest supporter of their new Shadow Cabinet member. It will be interesting to hear their take on this and other Shadow Cabinet moves tomorrow.

Whatever the arrival of Ken Clarke to shadow Peter Mandelson is going to make politics even more interesting.