"...the former Defence Secretary, former Health Secretary, ex-Northern Ireland Secretary, ex-Scottish Secretary, one-time Party Chairman and Leader of the House, and, of course, now the new Home Secretary.
John Reid, Who's Who must struggle to keep up with your CV."
John Sopel introducing John Reid on today's Politics Show. Classic.
Must be a nightmare getting the post re-directed!
Posted by: Jonathan Sheppard | May 07, 2006 at 13:34
Just goes to show how much doing good for the country plays in Blairs thinking.It is generally thought that a minister is not truly effective until he has been in position for around a year.Reid has beeen moved so often but I can't think of a single thing he's achieved as a minister except act as one of Blairs guards which he has been quite good at.
Posted by: malcolm | May 07, 2006 at 13:53
For a moment I misread the title on this thread, and thought John Reid was joining Conservative Home. I mean, it's the only job he hasn't held so far...
Posted by: William Norton | May 07, 2006 at 14:06
... including, William, a stint as The Enforcer. Shurely shome mishtake, having a Scottish member responsible for the English legal system, and not answerable to his constituents for his actions and their consequences? Including, presumably, cases such as when an elected member is found to have acted as a violent bully?
Posted by: Graeme Archer | May 07, 2006 at 14:16
Reid kept repeating that Blair had pledged to serve a full term as part of the election committment and it would be wrong not to keep to his word to the British people.
I just wanted Sopel to say "well he pledged to oppose Top Up fees too and even noted in the manifesto that Labour had legislated to stop them, before going ahead after the election and doing it anyway."
Posted by: Chad | May 07, 2006 at 14:26
Only a couple of days into the job, and Reid has come out the comment that sums NuLab up perfectly; (I'm paraphrasing).
People don't want government proposals to be "thwarted" by the courts.
Oh don't they? I thought that the legal system was immune to government influence (allegedly) so as to protect people's liberties and freedom. If a government passed illiberal and discriminatory legislation, I would expect the courts to speak out against it. It is, after all, their job in a modern democracy. It's a job that NuLab seem unable to comprehend ("someone else has power as well as us? Surely not!?")
Posted by: Elena | May 07, 2006 at 15:19