Re-shuffle speculation isn’t good for a Government and needs to be done as fast as possible
Great for @ShippersUnbound to have such an informed reshuffle piece, but aides briefing on reshuffles causes mayhem – angry ministers start demanding private reassurances and counter-briefing begins. Soon someone asks: are sure we *really* want to do this? pic.twitter.com/E9f99pWHJ5
— Craig Oliver (@CraigOliver100) December 31, 2017
An opportunity, perhaps, for the next generation?
One of the big pieces of political news over the holiday weekend was that Theresa May is said to be considering a reshuffle. This’ll be the first one since she became PM but which wasn’t sparked off by either a general election or forced by an unexpected departure.
From a betting perspective this brings into play the next cabinet exit markets. If you are venturing into those I suggest you check the detailed terms because they can vary from bookie to bookie. If we are talking about the first one out it could be the first announcement to be made but some bookies have rules make it clear that if there are a number of moves on the same day then all of them count equally and dead heat rules apply.
Reshuffles can be very unsettling times for ministers and aspiring backbenchers – after all political careers that are at stake. David Cameron’s former PR chief, Craig Oliver, makes a good point in his Tweet about how tricky they can be.
There are so many questions. What is Theresa going to do about Boris? Is David Davis, who appears to have been sidelined from the detail Brexit negotiations, going to continue in his role as BrexSec? What about Chris Grayling who has come under a lot of fire over the East Coast Main Line deals. I wonder, however, if the Lord Adonis attacks could actually help keep him in place.
This could be the moment when Philip Hammond, who’s never been popular with the Brexit gang, is finally booted out as chancellor? That would certainly be would be welcomed by many strong Brexiteers within the party but sacking a Chancellor can be very destabilising for a government.
I don’t really know what she is going to do. My guess is that if she does move she will make a radical change and perhaps her eventual replacement as Party leader will be a current non cabinet minister who gets a promotion.