Theresa May would be Prime Minister and Matt Hancock would be only man in Anushka Asthana's Cabinet
By Tim Montgomerie
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One of Cameron's objectives in last week's reshuffle was to accelerate what Paul Goodman described as "the march of the Tory women". CCHQ spinners were keen to emphasise that Justine Greening was the Cabinet's fifth woman. The Times' Anushka Asthana has decided to take this exercise to its logical conclusion and fill the whole Cabinet with women. You can read her piece behind the paywall (£) but here are the highlights from Anushka's piece (not every department is allocated):
- Prime Minister, Theresa May: "In recognition of her gaffe-free first year".
- Chancellor, Andrea Leadsom: "A member of the Treasury Select Committee who came into politics after 23 years in banking and finance".
- Priti Patel, Foreign Secretary: "Every Tory Cabinet must be sensitive to the Right and the obvious choice is Priti Patel. She can be Foreign Secretary as long as she does not try to reinstate capital punishment."
- Education Secretary, Liz Truss.
- Communities Secretary, Angie Bray.
- DEFRA, Esther McVey.
- Welfare Secretary, Charlotte Leslie: "I first came across her some years ago when she was a researcher to David Willetts, then the Shadow Education Secretary. I was impressed by her drive to improve the lives of the country’s poorest".
- Business Secretary, Karen Bradley: "She’s northern, state-educated, vice-chair of the all-party parliamentary group on maternity and a successful accountant."
- "Penny Mordaunt goes to Defence (the Portsmouth MP is named after HMS Penelope — it makes sense); Anna Soubry to the Home Office (she is well loved by Tory HQ); Therese Coffey is Chief Secretary (she has an impressive business background); Sarah Wollaston gets Health (“she’s a bit of a rebel”, warns one insider of the GP but I think Mrs May can handle her); and Louise Mensch goes to Culture, Media and Sport."
- Chief Whip, Claire Perry: "Ann Treneman has nominated Claire Perry for the Lickspittle of the Year competition but others think she could be PM one day. Clearly, the perfect job for Ms Perry is Chief Whip — keeping junior male colleagues in line."
- Party Chairman, Sayeeda Warsi.
One man is allowed close to the top table: "I will appoint one man as an unpaid junior equalities minister, who can’t come to Cabinet: Matthew Hancock will do me proud."
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