David Cameron has unveiled his top team for the next election and it’s been a much bigger and more wide-ranging reshuffle than many predicted. William Hague’s surprise resignation grabbed many of the headlines and Downing Street will be hoping that the promotion of a number of recently elected fresh faces, with greater representation for women, will dominate the headlines going forward. The Prime Minister sees this as his team to be presented to the nation at the next election and hopes this will provide a dynamic, fresh face for his Party ahead of 2015.
In this briefing, Fishburn analyses the big beneficiaries of Cameron’s biggest reshuffle and the last before next year’s unpredictable election. Our briefing profiles the big winners from the reshuffle – who’ll become Cameron’s Campaigners in the year ahead? Visit the Fishburn website for the full briefing.
The big winners from this reshuffle are the members of the ‘class of 2010’ – a Parliamentary intake generally agreed as one of the strongest in recent decades. The big promotions of women like Nicky Morgan and Liz Truss show that David Cameron is keen for his government to have a younger, fresher face before the voters cast their judgement next May. The majority of those promoted are strong media performers, so you should expect to see the new Ministers used extensively on the major news bulletins between now and next May. The big losers from the reshuffle are what the Daily Mail described as the “pale, male and stale”; a number of middle-aged, male Ministers, elected before 2010 lost their jobs, being replaced by more recently elected MPs.
Commentators will be considering the left-right balance after the reshuffle. Philip Hammond becoming Foreign Secretary has bolstered Eurosceptics, with the new Foreign Secretary having said that he would vote to leave the EU if there were a vote today. Promotions for Hammond, Liz Truss and Michael Fallon have all given the reshuffle a Eurosceptic tinge. The departure of Ken Clarke and other Tory moderates, such as David Willetts and Damian Green has been portrayed by many as a blow to the Tory left, but, on the flipside, right-wingers have complained about the removal of climate-change sceptic, Owen Patterson.
Michael Gove’s move from Education to be Chief Whip has been portrayed as an attempt by the Prime Minister to improve relations with the teaching profession and provide a softer edge to education reform. However, the moves of both Hague and Gove will allow both men to play a more wide-ranging political and campaigning role ahead of the election.
Philip Hammond MP, Foreign Secretary
1. Why? Mr Hammond has effectively led the Ministry of Defence during a period of steep budget cuts without attracting the ire of the red tops and is seen as a safe pair of hands. His appointment also represents a response to the rise of UKIP: Hammond is notably Eurosceptic and has said that he would vote to leave the European Union unless significant changes were made to the relationship.
2. Ministerial fact. As George Osborne’s number two in opposition, Hammond was tipped to be Chief Secretary to the Treasury in a Tory government. The necessities of coalition government meant the position went to the Liberal Democrats, and Hammond spent an unremarkable year as Secretary of State for Transport.
3. Previous career fact. Hammond is the richest senior member of the Cabinet. He is worth an estimated £8.2million from stakes in a health care and nursing home developer and consultancy work. He received some criticism during the expenses row for claiming £24 for eight teaspoons.
4. Constituency fact. Hammond has a safe seat in Runnymede and Weybridge. A few hundred years before his constituency was at the heart of the Surrey commuter belt, it saw the signing of the Magna Carta, the foundation of the British constitution.
5. Personal politics. Last year, Hammond was subject to some hostile briefing from Number 10 owing to his views on defence cuts, same-sex marriage and the EU.
6. Personal fact. Philip Hammond’s school classmate was the TV presenter Richard Madeley. He recalls Hammond spent his teenager years as a Guardian-reading goth.
Visit the Fishburn website for further profiles on Liz Truss, Nicky Morgan, Esther McVey, Michael Fallon, Stephen Crabb, Greg Clark, Matt Hancock, Nick Boles, Anna Soubry, Penny Mordaunt, Priti Patel, Amber Rudd and Claire Perry.
