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One of Gordon Brown's key allies has quit the Government to focus on global plans to pull the world out of recession.
In a surprise move, business minister Baroness Vadera is to advise the G20 group of leading nations on how to boost their economies.
Lady Vadera, who has spent years at Mr Brown's side, will cease to be a minister but will take up a specially-created, unpaid role within the Cabinet Office.
The Prime Minister wants his closest economic adviser to help drive through his own agenda on getting leading countries to co-operate on spending, banking regulation and helping poorer nations.
But leaked news of her departure from government was yet another distraction from Mr Brown's America trip and dashed hopes of a smooth run-up to the Labour party conference this weekend. The Prime Minister was giving a speech at the UN today before moving on to the G20's latest summit in Pittsburgh.
Lady Vadera — who came under fire this year when she claimed there were “green shoots of recovery” — has proved a controversial figure ever since she worked alongside Mr Brown when he was Chancellor.
Her new role is a constitutional oddity as she will not be a civil servant. Instead, she will be an adviser to the G20 with the task of creating what will be seen by Mr Brown as his “legacy” — the creation of a formal global system for economic stability.
Lady Vadera will oversee the transfer of the chairmanship of the G20 group from the UK to South Korea next year. The Prime Minister today said he had specifically asked Lady Vadera to take on her new role. “Her expertise is such that there is no one better to do this job.” Her current responsibilities will be taken over by trade minister Lord Davies.
Former investment banker Lady Vadera was appointed business minister in January last year.
Today's highly unusual appointment caused confusion among the Conservatives as it was unclear whether she would be expected to stay on under a Cameron government.
Downing Street sources were forced to confirm that Lady Vadera was leaving the Government after a morning of rumours. Speculation centred on whether she was quitting to join a City bank.
News of her departure came as Mr Brown struggled to keep his America tour on track. In just a few days, he has faced calls from ex-Cabinet minister Charles Clarke for him to step down, fended off claims that his health and eyesight were failing and endured the Baroness Scotland affair.
Reader views (32)
They found her true worth then.
- Peter, London thr, 24/09/2009 20:37
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Christ on crutches we've sent this thieving lunatic to the G20 (remeber railtrack).
- Mpr, portsmouth hants, 24/09/2009 19:50
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I'll agree with Keith that her talents need mention alongside Gordon Brown's - but we differ somewhat on the value of said talents. That, plus I don't wear blinkers when looking at GB's 'achievements' and his 'services to the nation'. Gordon Brown will be remembered only as the guy who rode the Labour government down to it's coming stint in well-deserved political pergatory.
- Rogan, Irving, 24/09/2009 19:39
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a rat deserting the sinking ship
- Maureen Oconnell, romford uk, 24/09/2009 18:34
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Is there anyone left that Blair/Brown have not made into a Baron or Lord? Talk about nepotism.
- Roger, Surey, 24/09/2009 17:40
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Another outpouring of spleen from the uneducated (read thick), rightwing numptys as usual.
the woman was right when she mentioned green shoots, all financial commentators are saying it. The G20 group obviously find her worth employing, and i suspect most of them are a lot brighter than the morons here. And Frank you continue to surpass yourself in the stupidity stakes. labour unelected? yes they were at the last election, unaccountable, yes they are at the next election. Just wait you tory buffoons, when dodgy dave and his ilk get in next spring, they will not want to know you, you're not high enough up the food chain (most of you are not high enough up the primate chain), they will screw you until you squeak, and i will love it.
- Kerry, Purley, 24/09/2009 17:20
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If you say yes and nod your head, you have got a job with
Gordon. It does not matter if you can do the job. We all know that now.
- Macdangler, Wimbledon SW19, 24/09/2009 17:00
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Good riddance - hope Brown is next.
- Anglo, Sussex UK, 24/09/2009 16:49
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Why would any G20 country hire someone from the UK given our state of finances! even if she is not paid."
So silly, Mike. She is a talented woman, and this is simply a promotion for her fine performance. I say well gone her and well done Gordon Brown for rescuing the country from the worldwide economic recession, which has hit many other countries far harder than it has us here in the UK
- Keith Price, Luton England, 24/09/2009 16:25
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Do not be surprised if this is simply stage one of the unelected PM juggling posts for those who know where the skeletons are hidden.
Brown is too devious to be man enough to do things in a straight orderly fashion because in that way all his enemies, real or imagined, can likewise predict his next move.
Meanwhile, the devious Mandy is doing exactly the same to him but he is too blinded by his own plotting to realise it.
Baroness Vadera knows a lot but the prince of deviousness knows more, it is after all, his lifelong obsession to be in such a situation.
With a general election no more than nine months away, bad habits die hard in old labour's crumbling castles.
Baroness Vadera, like many newly appointed Nu Labour peers has got what she wanted all along, but is using a roundabout route to ensure she steps onto the next ladder of influence and connections, to keep her career and finances afloat, just like the rest of the same party's failure's in public office before her.
Nothings changed, just the method used temporarilly.
- Ken.H, Harrow. UK, 24/09/2009 16:03
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Does it matter what she does?.
All that matters is that the PM(Piltdown Man)and his bunch of marxists are despatched to the dustbin very shortly,never to come back.
- Roy.C, wigan.england., 24/09/2009 15:54
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Unpaid! Well, that's new.
- Wa, Oxfordshire, 24/09/2009 15:19
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Enough is enough. We have 640 MPs most of whom are misappropriating tax payers' money to build property portfolios. How many barons/baronesses have Blair and Brown created - and how many of them are also lining their pockets? Time for a complete clear out of both houses and all these "nobodies" stripped of their meaningless titles. The country is bankrupt thanks to Brown - yet he continues to add cronies to his gravy train.
- R.F.York, Yorks, UK, 24/09/2009 14:55
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I'm guessing she will be replaced by another unelected crone?
- Andy Davids, London, 24/09/2009 14:52
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Why would any G20 country hire someone from the UK given our state of finances! even if she is not paid.
God help those other G20 countries she is consulting for. She not done enough damage here in the UK so goodbye...
- Mike, London, 24/09/2009 14:43
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The real question is when is the biggest rat of them all going to do the same?
- Peter, Vienna, Austria, 24/09/2009 14:36
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The Prime Minister's legacy is already secure - one of economic misery for decades to come. The illusion of prosperity was built on monumental deceit and a mountain of debt. His general incompetence exceeds even that of another of equally useless countrymen who was promoted far beyond his abilities, Ramsay MacDonald.
- Jb, Prestbury, UK, 24/09/2009 14:29
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How much is she being paid by us the taxpayers????
- Tojo, Hythe, 24/09/2009 14:28
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Who is paying for this non-job that she is taking up. It strikes me that far from leaving the cabinet, she is extending Brown's tentacles at the G20 level. Brown will have an insider's view on what the next president of the G20 is thinking and how he will act. This will give Brown time to act to his own power-crazed ends. I bet that Brown volunteerd not just Vadera, but insisted that we, the UK tax payers, fund her salary. This is madness. There is no justification for this role and it is purely a power play by Brown. Wake up UK, we are in the grips of a labour dictatorship.
- Karen, London, 24/09/2009 14:27
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- Reuben Camara, Morecambe Compound, EUSSR
How very well said, what I also don't understand is how we can be trying to achieve a "classless society" with all these enobled titled people.
It's like the modern version of the Tudors on TV, whee titles seem to be given out at the drop of a hat.
- P Staker, Londonistan., 24/09/2009 14:10
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Looking at the state of our economy and business ,no big loss,she has only achieved failure in her job.
- Dave, london, 24/09/2009 13:58
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Some of Mr Brown's critics need a reality check. While there are a number of members of the current government who sit in the House of Lords there are significantly more members of the Official Opposition who also sit there, and who hold shadow ministerial positions. These Shadow Ministers were of course all appointed by Mr Cameron Some of them are also obviously hereditary peers. It is simply inconceivable if he forms the next government that Mr Cameron will not have a number of ministers in the House of Lords on the government payroll, as have his Conservative predecessors in the past. Given, however, the numbers involved and the fact that some of the Opposition Shadow Ministers are hereditary, in terms of the extent to which he subscribes to democratic principles, Mr Brown seems to beat Mr Cameron hands down.
- Political Observer, UK, 24/09/2009 13:55
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So after her astonishing success as the 'Business Minister' ;
1) Unemployment Up
2) GDP down
3) Company Bankruptcies up
4) Red Tape - Up
She is now turning her expertise to the World stage.... And we wonder why the World is in such a mess when we have cronie orientated failure promoted like this. Heaven help us.
- Hansel, London, 24/09/2009 13:53
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Unelected unaccountable Labour = a train wreck happening now.
- Frank, Home Counties, England., 24/09/2009 13:26
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They are leaving because they have enough sense not to keep their colours nailed to Gordo McBalloon's mast.
The 'Nues Arbeits Partie' is finished, its all becoming more than a bit Machiavellian and Pythonesque now. Pa McBalloon has been given an 'award' for being 'Statesman of the Year'(???????). All very strange and 'Dads Army' like.
It will be interesting as to what will happen at the Labour Party knees-up next weekend at Brighton. Especially since Charles Clarke has stuck a pin into McBalloon's 'balloon'.
- Uncle Vanya, East Anglia Area UK, 24/09/2009 13:24
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"Key" adviser? So, she used to hold the keys to the Treasury loo? That's about as much responsibility as she could be trusted with...
- Nobby Clark, Perth, the Scottish one, 24/09/2009 13:16
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And I suppose she'll continue to receive "expenses" as a Baroness. At least when MP's leave that's the end of the matter.
- Stephen C, London, 24/09/2009 13:10
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Perhaps the EVENING STANDARD will now look into HOW MANY MORE of these BARONESSES and LORDS have been coveted with honours by Gormless Brown and are stashed away in the vaults of Downing Street?
SO MUCH FOR A SO-CALLED DEMOCRACY - MORE LIKE A THIRD WORLD BANANA REPUBLIC POLICE STATE.
- Reuben Camara, Morecambe Compound, EUSSR, 24/09/2009 12:40
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Another loser bites the dust - or is it deserting a sinking ship.... you decide, oh the public will come the election - Bye Broon - milk your last days!
- David, soton, 24/09/2009 12:26
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Yet another rat scurries away...
- Alastair, London, 24/09/2009 12:22
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Another unelected one jumps ship.
How many of these unelected persons are there in our Government and why do we bother having a General Election to elect MPs if people like Lord Mandy, Lady Kinnock and the B of Scotland are parachuted into our "democratically" elected Government mainly because they are friends of the Great Brown one?
- Aylyn, 03189 Orihuela Costa, 24/09/2009 12:18
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good riddance
- Robin, London, 24/09/2009 12:08
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