A reshuffle story
Many years ago, before mobile phones had become ubiquitous, I was helping to organise - well, to be more honest I was one of the footsoldiers at - a huge all-day fundraising event in a park in the constituency of a middle-ranked minister who I shall call Mr A.
Earlier in the week a certain member of the cabinet had opened his mouth and inserted his foot while giving an interview to a prominent journalist. There had been a couple of days of the most embarrassing headlines, and there were rumours that the cabinet minister concerned might have to resign.
During a lull between events I and a couple of my fellow Young Conservatives asked the local MP what he thought of the affair.
"Let's hope it will all blow over," said Mr A. "The last thing we need now is a cabinet reshuffle."
Pause. Then a big grin.
"Unless I'm involved, of course!"
Then we went back to work and forgot all about the conversation until arriving home several hours later. I turned on the box to find that Mrs T had in fact accepted the resignation of the minister who had made the gaffe. Guess who she'd appointed in his place, when she finally managed to get hold of him ...
You've got it - at the very moment that Mr A was telling us that the last thing needed was a cabinet reshuffle unless he was involved, that was exactly what was happening and, the number ten switchboard was frantically trying to get hold of him to offer him the job.
A BBC political correspondent mentioned that "Downing Street had wanted to make the announcement earlier but they could not get hold of Mr A as he was attending a function in his Blandshire constituency ..."
Earlier in the week a certain member of the cabinet had opened his mouth and inserted his foot while giving an interview to a prominent journalist. There had been a couple of days of the most embarrassing headlines, and there were rumours that the cabinet minister concerned might have to resign.
During a lull between events I and a couple of my fellow Young Conservatives asked the local MP what he thought of the affair.
"Let's hope it will all blow over," said Mr A. "The last thing we need now is a cabinet reshuffle."
Pause. Then a big grin.
"Unless I'm involved, of course!"
Then we went back to work and forgot all about the conversation until arriving home several hours later. I turned on the box to find that Mrs T had in fact accepted the resignation of the minister who had made the gaffe. Guess who she'd appointed in his place, when she finally managed to get hold of him ...
You've got it - at the very moment that Mr A was telling us that the last thing needed was a cabinet reshuffle unless he was involved, that was exactly what was happening and, the number ten switchboard was frantically trying to get hold of him to offer him the job.
A BBC political correspondent mentioned that "Downing Street had wanted to make the announcement earlier but they could not get hold of Mr A as he was attending a function in his Blandshire constituency ..."
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