Endings and Beginnings

The ministerial reshuffle marks the end of the time several people have spent in important jobs, the apparent conclusion to a number of ministerial careers and the start of a number of others.

Andrew Lanlsey's tenure at the Department of Health was controversial. But I know from meeting him on his visits to health facilities in Cumbria, both when he was shadow health secretary for what amounts to a very long time and when he did the job for real, that he made a huge effort to visit hospitals and listen to what people had to say. The fact that he put forward proposals which were not always popular was because he thought them necessary to improve care for patients, not because he didn't care about or listen to the opinions of others. The legislation is passed now: let us hope that Jeremy Hunt can work with doctors and nurses to make it effective while providing a greater degree of stability to the NHS.

Sir George Young has had a very long and distinguished career, serving as a minister under Mrs Thatcher, John Major and David Cameron and I always found him one of the more intelligent and lucid politicians in any party.

One tenure of office which did not end was that of IDS as Work and Pensions Secretary

I am very pleased that David Cameron listened when Iain Duncan Smith said he did not want to move, and I hope that the PM having listened will not be seen as weakness, because it should not be. IDS had unfinished business with Welfare Reform in his present job and I believe he has a far more important contribution to make to the country in that role than he would have had as Justice Secretary.

Baroness Warsi has been a feisty and vocal voice for the grassroots as Conservative Party chairman, a fact which has not always been appreciated. I hope she can continue to build her career in her new role as William Hague's deputy.

Her successor, Grant Shapps, is a superb campaigner: as I used to live in the next door constituency I am well aware of just how effective his skills at election campaigning are. I hope he can transmit some of his enormous energy to the party.

Patrick McLoughlin is a tough, no-nonsense midlands MP and a former miner who worked during the strike. I have a huge amount of time for him, and I hope he can make some progress on some of the judgement of Solomon issues affecting the Transport department.

There are those who are suggesting that this reshuffle is a marked step to the right. I think they are overstating things. The fact that David Cameron kept Ken Clarke in the cabinet is one sign of this, and several of those who are known to me and have been promoted are not as right wing as their public image or reputation might suggest.

Nor would a huge leap to the right be a good idea. Elections are won in the centre, and the present leadership of the Conservative party is well aware of this.

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