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The Minister of Cool: Alan Johnson joins the Blues Brothers
Last updated at 01:58am on 23.07.08
Wearing sunglasses and a sharp suit, Alan Johnson looked more like a Blues Brother than a minister as he arrived at Downing Street yesterday.
The Health Secretary could have been mistaken for Dan Aykroyd's character from the 1980s movie when he showed up for the last Cabinet meeting before the summer recess.
But, by the look of other minsters stepping into Number 10, he wasn't the only one relishing the prospect of an 11-week break.
Blues Brother: Alan Johnson arrives at Downing and Dan Aykroyd, right
Housing Minister Caroline Flint, for instance, managed to put on yet another unseen outfit for the gathering where the song, School's Out For Summer, could well have been the theme tune.
And Baroness Royall, Labour’s Chief Whip in the House of Lords arrived looking unusually flamboyant in a summery-patterned dress.
The only member of the Cabinet who didn’t looked boyed up by the prospect of a long rest was Schools Minister Ed Balls.
Flamboyant: Caroline Flint and Baroness Royall dress up for the last day of term
He no doubt faced a grilling from the boss after he was forced to admit yesterday that almost a quarter of the English SATs taken by 14-year-olds have still not been marked.
His revelation comes a fortnight after the results were due to be published.
He told MPs that the firm behind the marking fiasco had now released the results of 98 per cent of the exams sat by 11-year-olds and 88 per cent of those taken by 14-year-olds.
With such low marks for his own achievement, he would be wise to spend his holiday revising for the next term.
Gloomey: Ed Balls after admitting a quarter of SATs papers still need marking
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