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| azzuri |
Reid move could raise difficult questionssee - http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/politics.cfm?id=680422006Reid move could raise difficult questions JAMES KIRKUP JOHN REID's appointment as Home Secretary yesterday confirms the continuing influence of Scottish MPs in the Cabinet, but could also raise some difficult political questions. Douglas Alexander's rise to full membership of the Cabinet brings to five the number of Scots MPs with seats at the government's top table. Gordon Brown, the Chancellor, remains the most senior. Alistair Darling moves to run the Department of Trade and Industry and Des Browne replaces Dr Reid at the Ministry of Defence. Dr Reid's new post - his seventh senior government job -- may attract controversy because so many of the Home Office's powers do not apply to Scotland, having been devolved to Holyrood. Many Conservative MPs and even some Labour members believe that the West Lothian question raised by devolution must still be answered. "Can a Scot run the Home Office? We will definitely be asking the question," one Tory frontbencher said last night. Downing Street dismissed such questions, saying: "We are one country, one United Kingdom." But even Dr Reid may be aware of the potential for controversy. Earlier this year, at a party for senior military officers, he joked that the Home Secretary's job was perhaps the one Cabinet role he would not be awarded, because his constituency is north of the Border. |
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| SLG |
Re: Reid move could raise difficult questions
Could they sound any more like the new Tories? I think he'll be fine as long as he doesnae f**k up. Just like he managed to get away with being minister for English Health. |
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| Aventinian |
Re: Reid move could raise difficult questions
This is a load of bull. The sheer number of functions the Home Office carries out in Scotland is tremendous. It is certainly no English department of state.
Certainly it should - but then again people in glass houses should not throw stones - how often is the SoS for Northern Ireland an Ulsterman, or indeed any of the direct rule ministers? What needs to be found is an answer - and neither Labour or the Tories are giving one, but just throwing the occasional bit of dirt. If one of them bothers to find a solution, let the people of England vote for it. |
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| Reluctant Hero |
Re: Reid move could raise difficult questions
What an arrogant, patronising, Tory, w*****. If he/she had any guts, they would own up to making those comments. The Tories couldn't run any department in the government the last time they tried it, I seem to recall. 
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| Aventinian |
Perhaps not the last one (Major's government) but I certainly think Maggie did a good job of it.
The Tories may be far from perfect, but they have nowt on New Labour. |
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| azzuri |
That's true - after the way the Major Government was totally shafted by the media for 'sex scandals', I'm amazed New Labour get away with so much.
10 years ago there would have been rioting in the streets at new Labour's behaviour, now there is a sense of nothing but apathy. |
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| frank rizzo |
Probably down to Murdoch and The Scum still backing Tony. Although from a far less erse licking perspective now.
Tabloids control the lemmings in the Uk when it comes down to important issues now. I blame Davina McCall personally. |
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| wisnaeme |
Aye,right enough and meanwhile meltdown of New Labour continues.An article in the North Brittish Persons rag referring to an interview of Labour MP Frank Field on BBC 2's Newsnight programme in which when asked about the Bliar verses Brown spat he solemnly said that John Reid MP,Minister fer something or other would 'certainly' be among those to challenge Mr Brown for the top job.  Mair Spin and disinformation or at least I bluidy hope it is.
http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/politics.cfm?id=716082006 . |
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