Author Topic: Cabinet Reshuffle: Charles Clarke SACKED  (Read 170 times)

Don Rizzle

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Cabinet Reshuffle: Charles Clarke SACKED
« on: May 05, 2006, 03:05:13 AM »
Clarke axed in Cabinet reshuffle
Charles Clarke has been axed as home secretary as Tony Blair seeks to regain the initiative after a night of losses in English local elections.
He will be replaced by defence secretary John Reid. Margaret Beckett is the new Foreign Secretary, with Jack Straw becoming Commons leader.

John Prescott will stay as deputy prime minister but loses his department.

Labour came third in the national share of the vote in Thursday's polls, losing more than 200 seats to the Tories.

Although not the "meltdown" some had predicted, Labour lost control of 18 local councils, making it one of the party's worst ever local election nights.

The Conservatives took control of 12 councils and gained 250 seats, although they failed to make hoped-for progress in Northern cities such as Manchester and Liverpool.


 2006 ENGLISH ELECTIONS
Labour losses: Newcastle-under-Lyme, Derby, Stoke-on-Trent, Bury, Redditch, Barrow-in-Furness, Warrington, Crawley, Lewisham, Bexley, Merton, Blackburn with Darwen, Hammersmith and Fulham, Croydon
Tory gains: Shrewsbury and Atcham, Crawley, Mole Valley, Hillingdon, Harrow, Coventry, Ealing
Tory losses: West Lindsey, Gosport
Lib Dem gains: St Albans, South Lakeland
Lib Dem losses: Milton Keynes, Islington
BNP: Won 11 seats in Barking and Dagenham
Greens: Gained 14 seats, including four in Norwich
 

The Liberal Democrats failed to make predicted advances, gaining less than 20 councillors, but Sir Menzies Campbell insisted it was not a test of his leadership.

Prescott affair

In a statement, Mr Clarke said he did not agree with the prime minister's judgement but he would remain loyal to the government when he returned to backbenches.

Mr Clarke has faced repeated calls for his resignation since admitting he had lost track of 1,023 foreign prisoners who should have been considered deportation.


Possible promotion

Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt is another minister who has been under pressure since being booed by nurses angry about deficits at NHS trusts.


 HAVE YOUR SAY
I thought the elections were about local issues not about national parties
Ash Wells, London
 

Among the Cabinet ministers in line for possible promotion are Trade and Industry Secretary Alan Johnson, Work and Pensions Secretary John Hutton.

Opposition parties say the reshuffle is just a diversionary tactic.

Shadow chancellor George Osborne said: "This reshuffle is an attempt to cover up very bad losses for Tony Blair and Labour in the local elections and very good results for David Cameron and the Conservative Party."

Titanic

Some Labour backbenchers believe Mr Blair must go further than just overhauling his team.

Former Health Secretary Frank Dobson said a reshuffle would be like "rearranging the deckchairs on the Titanic".

"Quite frankly we need the party under new management," said Mr Dobson.

If Thursday's polls had been held nationwide, the Tories would have gained 40% of the vote, Lib Dems 27% and Labour 26%. Turnout is estimated at 36% - down three points from 2004.

Among the smaller parties, the Greens have won 17 seats, with particular success in Norwich. The British National Party doubled its councillors, including winning 11 seats from Labour in Barking.

Some areas will not start counting their votes until Friday.

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Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/uk_politics/4975938.stm

Published: 2006/05/05 09:50:41 GMT
« Last Edit: May 05, 2006, 10:31:06 AM by Don Rizzle »

iraq would just get annexed by iran


That would be a great solution.  If Iran and the majority of Iraqi's are pleased with it, then why shouldn't they do it?
 

Don Rizzle

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Re: Cabinet Reshuffle: Charles Clarke Goes
« Reply #1 on: May 05, 2006, 03:23:46 AM »
not quite sure why jack straw was bumped down from foreign secretary, but there have been reports that he when he left the home office it was a complete mess and as foreign secretary his department is still full of Sir Humphreys' (yes minister). I don't know much about Margaret Beckett, its gonna be weird having a female foreign secretary.

charles clarke will be back on the front bench soon tho, I think he might get foreign secretary or something like that. Blair will want to repay his loyalty and to be fair he was an excellant minister and a reformer, but it won't last long as Clarke will be out as soon as Brown comes in.

iraq would just get annexed by iran


That would be a great solution.  If Iran and the majority of Iraqi's are pleased with it, then why shouldn't they do it?