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Hoon is latest MP to reject Brown reshuffle
Joe Murphy, Political Editor29 Sep 2008
Gordon Brown's hopes of a wideranging Cabinet reshuffle were dealt a fresh blow today after his Chief Whip Geoff Hoon made clear he did not want to be moved.
Mr Hoon, who is the Prime Minister's "enforcer" in the Commons, surprised Westminster with a defiant message that he was keen to stay put.
The Chief Whip was caught off guard during a live TV interview last week at Labour's conference as the BBC reported that he could be moved from the Cabinet.
Mr Hoon strongly played down suggestions that he was about to move to Brussels as Britain's next EU Commissioner, which would trigger another difficult by-election in his Ashfield constituency in Derbyshire.
"I would like to remain a member of the Government. That is obviously a matter for the Prime Minister," he told Sky News.
"What I can say is that I am absolutely focused on my constituents in Ashfield, protecting their welfare, supporting their case where necessary against government, and I think it is vitally important that I should go on doing that."
Foreign Secretary David Miliband, Health Secretary Alan Johnson and Chancellor Alistair Darling have also publicly said they do not want to be moved. Other senior ministers have privately talked about refusing to accept different jobs in a reshuffle.
Mr Hoon also said that the leak of the news that Transport Secretary Ruth Kelly was set to leave the Government had been a "serious mistake".
The 3am disclosure that Ms Kelly was standing down overshadowed the final day of Labour's annual party conference last week in Manchester. It triggered a fresh round of recriminations among ministers after a conference which had seen talk of a leadership challenge recede.
"I don't think anyone could have been happy about that situation, least of all Ruth Kelly. I thought she handled it with commendable dignity," Mr Hoon said. "Whoever was responsible for that briefing acted irresponsibly and not in the best interests of the Government."
Reader views (2)
Didn't realise Buff was still in the Government .... surprised he doesn't want Brussels, I thought he loved holidays?
- Marianne, S W France, 30/09/2008 08:40
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Ive never been able to grasp the cabinet re shuffle. You have a minister at the foreig office who is useless so you shift him to transport ? Ive always been of the understanding that if a minister is incompetent or plain useless in one office then moving him to another isnt going to change anything apart from burdoning a different department. If a minister shows themselves to be useless then sack them. Thats how it works in the real world
- Duncan Walker, Ex Peckham now Samui Thailand, 30/09/2008 07:03
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