Hague set to return as Shadow Foreign Secretary

According to your Fantasy Cabinet predictions William Hague should be Shadow Chancellor.  Today's Guardian suggests that Mr Hague will return as Shadow Foreign Secretary, however.  Mr Hague is reported as saying that existing commitments - including a forthcoming book on William Wilberforce - would mean that he would not have the time for the demanding finance portfolio.

If Mr Hague becomes Shadow Foreign Secretary he will be responsible for timetabling the promised exit from the EPP but such an appointment would deprive Liam Fox of his current - and favoured - post.  The obvious place for Dr Fox to go is Shadow Home Affairs but that would mean moving David Davis.  The Cameron Camp are waiting to see the scale of their victory before deciding what to do with Mr Davis.  If they only win by 60-40 they may have to keep Mr Davis in his current job and, perhaps, give him the deputy leadership if the race ends up even tighter than that.  If their margin of victory is bigger than 60-40 they will offer a diminished Mr Davis a lesser portfolio - like defence.  Mr Davis may refuse this position and cause Mr Cameron the first major headache of his leadership.

George Osborne, DC's campaign manager, is apparently only prepared to give up the Shadow Chancellorship for Mr Hague.  The differences between Mr Cameron and Mr Davis on tax would, in any case, make it difficult for this post to end up in Mr Davis' lap.

Either Fox or Davis at the Shadow Home Affairs post will reassure social conservatives who believe that Mr Cameron's drugs policies are too soft.  Mr Cameron has promised to decide drugs policy with his shadow cabinet.

If Mr Osborne remains Shadow Chancellor there is an increased possibility that Francis Maude will stay in charge of CCHQ.  Today's Telegraph reports a speech in which Mr Maude (a regular contributor to this site's Platform blog) calls on Tories to form a broad alliance with Blairite Labour MPs and Orange Book LibDems in favour of public service reform.  Mr Maude echoes Mr Cameron's more consensual approach to opposition.

Comments

[henry curteis]

Does William Hague have Roger Helmer MEP's phone number? It's time his courageous stand against EPP connivance in corruption and croneyism was backed up by the Party.

I read William Pitt the Younger - excellent and I recommend it. Wilberforce should be a good follow up - a man driven by his beliefs.

Which will Hague turn out to be himself? If not a Pitt, as he claims now not to want the leadership, then maybe a Wilberforce. It's time we had someone in politics who believed in something other than their own importance. Get us out of the EPP please. It will change the flavour.

[Barbara Villiers]

Well, all you naysayers who said I was talking out of my hat re the position Davis would be offered - did I not tell you? If he is offered a derisory post (as I predicted) be prepared for fireworks. I predict a few old scores to be settled. It all could get very ugly.

[Rick]

a diminished Mr Davis a lesser portfolio - like defence

Modern Tories - Defence "a lesser portfolio" ! Fascinating

[James Hellyer]

"Modern Tories - Defence "a lesser portfolio" ! Fascinating"

Than the Treasury, Home Affairs or the Foreign Office? Yes. And it's always been regarded thus.

[Editor]

Defence is a big role, Rick. Of course it is.

But it's not such a big slot as Home Affairs and has never been regarded as such.

[RobD]

I would hope Davis would not throw his toys out of the pram if offered defence. I agree that anything other than this, HO, FO or Chancellor would be an insult but defence is a key role which needs to go to someone who is strong and experienced, Davis would be perfect. I would prefer to see him in his current position, but getting Hague into a key role has to be the first priority.

[Daniel Vince-Archer]

"George Osborne, DC's campaign manager, is apparently only prepared to give up the Shadow Chancellorship for Mr Hague."

How nice to know that a Cameron-led Shadow Cabinet would be formed by letting his jumped-up cronies hand-pick which jobs they get.

[Wat Tyler]

If- and obviously I don't altogether accept the hypothesis- but IF DC wins and consigns DD to the outer darkness, then that would send a very clear message to us DD supporters.

Such a leader would presumably not expect much in the loyalty department.

[mike]

Wat - Is there anything which makes you think David Davis could still win this?

[Worried hack]

As Howard Flight and Danny Kruger will tell you, the Cameron Gang are very loyal and will always stand by you - until the first hostile headline from the Guardian or the Times.

[Daniel Vince-Archer]

"Does William Hague have Roger Helmer MEP's phone number?"

No, but I'm sure you could provide it Henry. Or is it Malcolm? Or Roger? ;-)

"Well, all you naysayers who said I was talking out of my hat re the position Davis would be offered - did I not tell you? If he is offered a derisory post (as I predicted) be prepared for fireworks. I predict a few old scores to be settled. It all could get very ugly."

I agree Babs - I've been saying this for ages. My money's been on Work and Pensions, although Defence is making sense. The other post that's conceivable is Shadow Leader of the House, although whether Cameron (or Osborne, who seems to be dictating who gets which position, if above comments are anything to go by) would give Davis easy pickings in the form of Geoff Hoon is questionable.

[James]

"getting Hague into a key role has to be the first priority."

Other than grass roots affection, is there any real reason why Hague is seen as such an asset? His time as leader was hardly distinguished, his views are hardly enlightened, and he is hardly popular with the public at large?

[wasp]

Kruger and Flight had disputes with Michael Howard, and nothing to do with Cameron, you people are really scraping the bottom of the barrel. I strongly suggest you reach the age of 10 and grow up.

[James Maskell]

I wont bother with joining the fantasy shadow cabinet game, but I dont see Hague as Shadow Chancellor nor Davis in a prominent position. Camerons friends and those who supported him from the start will get first dibsies in the Shadiow Cabinet. Thats a very bad sign I think. I dont like the look of Osborne as Shadow Chancellor. Send him to Education. That way he can get experience in schools and the white paper could get him some prominent fighting time.

[James M]

Come on - David Davis would look a little silly if, after promising to serve in a Cameron shadow cabinet he immediately rejected a job.

I actually do not think he would cause massive problems, he has a great loyalty to the party - whether any of his supporters do cause problems I do not know.

But after a positive campaign by both men, if the supporters of the losing candidate cause troubles - it will be a disaster for our party and show how shallow some people really can be.

So Barbara, Wat etc - lets remember we are all Conservatives - the party is bigger than any one individual and throwing toys out of the pram does no one any favours.

[michael]

This is the downside of leadership elections - we members trnsfer our loyalties from the Party to an individual. If your guy loses, it's hard to switch all that loyalty back again.

[Barbara Villiers]

Well, Daniel I think to move him from Home Affairs would be a huge mistake but could you picture Boy Wonder keeping him there when they differ so fundamentally on drugs? I can't.

Defence is a cop out although it will undoubtedly been seen as magninamous. We know better!

[James M]

Barbara I respect your views - but would you honestly rather see the party split over this, rather than taking advantage of the new found optimism?

Then again perhaps you over-estimate the potential for trouble amongst Davis' supporters (will Willetts and Green go mad - doubt it!) especially as I feel the man himself will stick to his word and serve loyally.

[RobD]

"Other than grass roots affection, is there any real reason why Hague is seen as such an asset? "

Firstly grass roots affection is going to be important if we are going to be a united party, I wouldn't underestimate the impact of Hague on the moral of the party.

Secondly I think many people believe Hague was thrown in at the deep end too soon against a Labour Government at it's peak, he deserves the chance to show what he is made of in a top position.

Thirdly I think that other than Clarke he probably IS more, popular with the public than anyone else we have got. He would rip Jack Straw apart if given this role, I just hope both Fox and Davis can be given significant positions as well.

[Jack Stone]

Whoever wins the election as a right to expect loyalty from everyone in the party. If anyone is not able to give that loyalty then frankly I think they should go elsewhere.
David Davis should be given whatever post David Cameron believes will best serve the party. If that`s defence then so be it.When we having forces abroad risking there lives in differant conflicts I think anyone who says the position is unimportant is talking nonsense.

[Ed R]

The trouble is, Davis is only through to the final stage because the MPs say so -- not the party membership. Is coming second in a ballot of two really enough to put him ahead of, say, Fox, who I personally think has come out of this much stronger and seems to have broadened his support base. Although I do think Davis is doing a sterling job as Shadow Home Secretary and I would like to see him stay there if possible, Defence and the Deputy Leadership is nothing to sniff at: Prescott was given a department outside the 'big three' as well, and the Defence spokesman needs to be particularly high profile at the present time because of the situation in Iraq and possibly Iran.

[Michael McGowan]

Jack, spare us the patronising nonsense please. Some of us have already gone elsewhere and feel entirely comfortable about our choice. We are the people capable of independent thought who don't accept that the Conservative Party (especially one led by nonentities and creatures of patronage such as Cameron, Osborne and Maude) has feudal tenure over the UK centre-right. Sorry old chap but it is fifty years since that other Oxbridge-educated Old Etonian con-artist, Harold MacMillan, was able to count on the Tory faithful flocking to the polls to vote as a social reflex.

[Peter]

Thats great Jack tell your opponents that they have to accept being treated like crap and they have to except it. If this is the attitude of the Cameron suppoters(I hope the MPs are more sane than you) then don't expect loyality back if the polls don't budge and because of losses next year in local elections and with that people will say we need a new leader. I for one through would say that in keeping David Davis in as shadow Home secretary not only do you have the best person for the job(outside PM) but shows his supporters that Cameron has shown respect for others?
But then their still time for everything to change.

[Mark Fulford]

Cameron hasn't won yet and no jobs have been handed out, but even so we manage to be at each other’s throats over total speculation about shadow cabinet positions and supposed settling of scores.

If Hague is offered treasury and chooses not to take it, fine - that's his choice. There's no political profit in displacing David Davis to find a senior job for Hague (Hague’s not that good). I'm sure that Cameron is politically savvy enough to realize all this and, if he doesn't, I'll prostrate myself before you all.

[michael]

Peter, the polls are already moving upwards and boy Cam isn't even officially leader yet! Happy days are here again.