Afternoon:
14°c
Lady Scotland fights for survival as Brown plots mini-reshuffle
Paul Waugh, Deputy Political Editor21.09.09
Attonrey General Baroness Scotland was battling to save her job today as it emerged that Gordon Brown is preparing to carry out a mini-reshuffle.
Solicitor General Vera Baird is being lined up to replace the peer amid increasing pressure over her employment of an illegal immigrant.
Baroness Scotland has assured Downing Street she carried out checks on the status of Loloahi Tapui, a 27-year-old Tongan she hired as a housekeeper.
The minister is in danger because she helped push through a law that makes it an offence if an employer hires an illegal worker, even inadvertently.
Government sources confirmed the reshuffle could take place sooner than expected, but was likely to be carried out in stages. One insider said the Lady Scotland row was a "red herring".
The Prime Minister is keen to shuffle his team to fill slots left vacant by summer departures. Those leaving have included health minister Lord Darzi, foreign minister Lord Malloch-Brown and telecoms minister Lord Carter. As well as filling empty posts, Mr Brown is being urged to freshen up his team before the general election.
Some Labour figures want him to clear out any figures, such as junior communities minister Shahid Malik, who have been dragged into the MPs' expenses scandal.
Barking MP Margaret Hodge is expected to return to her job of arts minister. She left a year ago on compassionate grounds to care for her husband, who died of leukaemia in June.
Whitehall sources suggested many of the vacant posts would be filled by serving ministers, meaning a number of changes across Whitehall.
The mini-reshuffle is pencilled in to take place after Labour's party conference. Mr Brown is in the US from tomorrow and will return on the eve of the Labour gathering in Brighton.
But if an investigation by the UK Border Agency makes Lady Scotland's position untenable, Downing Street will have to act swiftly to install Ms Baird.
A Labour MP broke ranks today to attack Mr Brown over his "extraordinary failure" to sack the Attorney General.
Former whip Graham Stringer said that if Lady Scotland did not make a "principled resignation" she should be fired. "It is extraordinary that after four days she is still in post," Mr Stringer said.
"The whole Government is tarnished. People feel the Government is passing laws it is not applying to itself."
Reader views (12)
Surly this unelected law breaker (breaker of the law she implemented) must resign.
- Mick, London, England
Is this reshuffle what Blair and Brown call reforming the House of Lords, as there are that many Lords and Ladys lording it over us in the House of Commons that it is begining to beggar belief. Democracy is coming, lets reclaim the commons for the little man, as it should be, and get rid of the rest of the Lords and Baronesses. If this is a government of all the talents then God help us. The only shuffle I want Gordhelpus to do, is to shuffle off back north of Hadrian's wall, where he can terrorise his own. Let's see how he would stand up against the SNP.
- Alan, carlisle uk
Hmmm, let's see, she's justice minister and yet is being investigated for employing an illegal immigrant and for claiming expenses on a house in London which are only for those outside London, how will she survive? She's affiliated with the Labour party and as such will be charged with nothing.
- Bob, Cheam
Her position as Attorney General demands that she is above any form of criticism.
Clearly she isn't so must go.
- George, Cambridge UK
Why is she fighting for survival? If she had any shred of honour she would resign on principle for failing to follow the letter of the very law she brought into being.
As with all these Labour stooges, taking accountability for one's actions and resigning when clearly in the wrong is something only the little people should do. Some are definitely more equal than others in Brown's animal farm UK. Only a matter of months now before we send this lot packing.
- Dave, Milton Keynes, UK
Let's not forget the expenses she's claimed for her London home to the tune of £38K per year...
Now she will recieve a gold-plated pension, a new role in a legal or consultancy firm that is on the first-tier for government contracts...
- Scrappy-Doo, London
Don't forget her £170-grand's worth of dodgy expenses too. Yet another rotten, unelected apple in Broon's cabinet.
- Nobby Clark, Perth, the Scottish one
Peerages ,titles and jobs for the boys have been given out like confetti since 1997,usually its the most odious of people that receive them,Mandelspin always springs to mind,-resigned in disgrace twice,now reinstated with a peerage!!,-what does that tell you about this shower of gangsters called Labour?.
- General Lee'Wright., Communist Britain.
She must be prosecuted and fined, as many others have been for committing the same offence.
- Keith Lonsdale, Doncaster
@R.F.York, Yorks, UK: ""Lady" Scotland must be sacked, stripped of the title, and charged with misappropriation of tax payers' money".
In a democracy that is precisely what would happen.
Unfortunately, the UK is now a bloated banana republic and new laws obviously do not apply to those responsible for making them.
ONE LAW FOR JOE PUBLIC AND A DIFFERENT LAW FOR MP's and "LADIES".
- Reuben Camara, Morecambe Compound, EUSSR
Acting decisevely, the captain of the doomed ship prepares to move more deck chairs!
- John C, Leatherhead, UK
"Lady" Scotland must be sacked, stripped of the title, and charged with misappropriation of tax payers' money.
- R.F.York, Yorks, UK
