The Sunday Telegraph's Melissa Kite has a bad track record when it comes to Tory reshuffles but her latest speculation has a ring of truth about it. Quoting an unnamed "senior Tory source" she says that Shadow Immigration Minister Damian Green is "an absolute cert for promotion." I hope so. He has done a good job with the immigration portfolio. He's loyal. He works very hard. Is good on TV. And is liked by his colleagues.
Tim Montgomerie
Or maybe police minister :)
Posted by: Tom FD | January 10, 2009 at 23:49
There is an alternative argument that Damian Green has made himself absolutely indispensable in the immigration portfolio, having made the issue safe for the party to talk about again, and therefore will not be moved from it. Which is a shame. He'd be very good at Innovation, Environment, Cabinet Office, House of Commons, Transport (all of which could be looking for new shadow cabinet ministers) or maybe even Justice (for the irony!). He would have also been very good at the Home Office when Cameron was looking for a new Shadow Home Secretary last June. Better than the current incumbent anyway, who would make a fantastic double act with him as Shadow Justice Secretary!
Posted by: James Hopkins | January 11, 2009 at 00:12
I am glad - he is a gentlemen. We do need a change at the home office as Dominic Grieve is much better suited to a SG/AG or Justice role, I have to admit I do miss Davis in the role....
When are we having this re-shuffle anyway.
Posted by: LondonTory | January 11, 2009 at 00:22
I really hope this is true. Damian Green deserves to join the shadow cabinet.
Posted by: John Travis | January 11, 2009 at 00:26
Caroline Spelman and George Osborne may do a straight swap.
Posted by: Gloy Plopwell | January 11, 2009 at 00:42
I'd love to see Damian Green promoted. I think the Justice role would be perfect.
I agree that Davis should come back. He's a big hitter and would make a great Home Secretary. He would also add some geographical balance and appeal to the Sun readers and C2 voters in the North. Grieve has done very well, but his talents and image are probably more suited to Attorney General.
Posted by: Cleethorpes Rock | January 11, 2009 at 00:45
I'd really, really enjoy it if this happened. Particularly if he were given a justice role. The irony would be sweet!
Posted by: Steve Tierney | January 11, 2009 at 01:22
Big improvement on A. Duncan.
It also would be nice if the shadow cabinet was selected on merit, G. Osborne.
Posted by: bumptious twerp | January 11, 2009 at 03:38
He should be Home Secretary.
Grieve is not the right man for that job.
Cameron better get this reshuffle right. Personnel continues to bedevil him thus far.
Posted by: Goldie | January 11, 2009 at 03:49
Good man, good promotion. Even if it wasn't one in the eye for the Gruppenfuhrers.
Posted by: Iain Murray | January 11, 2009 at 06:20
The front bench needs to look more inclusive than it is. At the moment there are far too many privately educated men there in the image of the leader. It just doesn`t look very representative of today`s Britain.
Posted by: Jack Stone | January 11, 2009 at 15:06
By all means bring Mr Green back into the shadow cabinet. But firt lets just remember that he was prevously in the shadow cabinet without much success.
lets also remember that Mr Green could be described as a 'Clarkeite', having voted for him in past leadership elections, supporting his pro-EU position and formerly being brought into IDS's team as a 'token' to placate the Clarkeite tendancies on the Tory benches.
Posted by: Shaun Bennett | January 11, 2009 at 15:08
The Party should get a Red Carpet for this guy. But don't worry, it can be done on an approval basis rather than from party funds.
Posted by: rugfish | January 11, 2009 at 15:09
Can't you spot a CCHQ spoiler story? This was aimed at distracting attention from the Taxpayers Alliance poll which showed UKIP taking 10% of Tory votes before the Euro campaign even starts.
Melissa Kite has zero credibility as she it appears that she is simply a Tory shill who will believe anything Coulson and his spin doctors tells her. Just ask Iain Dale. Utterly pathetic!!
Posted by: UKIPPED! | January 11, 2009 at 17:23
Jack Stone at 15.06 - strikes me as a bit of a daft comment - or an overly PC one. Why should the shadow front bench be a reflection of Britain's makeup? Their education is surely irrelevant - I want to know if theyve mastered their brief, and can put their view across to the electorate. Does a private education help in that regard? Possibly. But I dont want to see the front bench socially engineered to match some "inclusivity" parameter.
Posted by: roy s | January 11, 2009 at 20:25
It should be remembered that some of the people who complain about "too many public schoolboys" backed Cameron (Eton) over Davis (state schools) and want the privately-educated Fat Ken back.
No names, of course?
Posted by: Super Blue | January 11, 2009 at 22:26
Does integrity count for nothing any longer? Whilst some important issues have been exposed, does no-one care of the ethics by which this material was obtained?
Many honourable past parliamentarians would turn in there graves if they thought this was the depth politics had sunk to. The word conservative should equate to the maintainence of all that is good in society, not enjoining the underhand methods that we would so rightly criticise in others.
Posted by: JB | January 12, 2009 at 01:09