Cameron restores Clarke to Tories' line-up

Published on Monday 19 January 2009 21:17

KENNETH Clarke yesterday returned to the Tory front-bench after more than a decade on the political sidelines, as the Conservative leader, David Cameron, reshuffled his shadow cabinet.

The former chancellor becomes the shadow business secretary, putting him head to head with Lord Mandelson and adding weight to Tory criticism of the government's economic record.

Mr Clarke said he had chosen to re-enter front-line politics "because this country faces a very serious situation – the gravest economic crisis I have known in my lifetime".

His arrival was met with a smile by Gordon Brown, the Prime Minister, who said it was nice to have a member of the shadow cabinet who agreed with the government's positive stance on Europe and the decision to cut VAT to 15 per cent.

Mr Clarke, who has also served as health, education and home secretaries, has been absent from the front-bench since the Tories lost power in 1997. But his pro-European stance has seen him fail in three bids to be the party leader.

Other changes saw promotion for Chris Grayling, who moves from work and pensions to be shadow home secretary, and for Eric Pickles, who becomes Tory party chairman.

Caroline Spelman, whose political career remains overshadowed by an investigation into parliamentary expenses paid to her child's nanny, swaps jobs with Mr Pickles to take the local government brief.

Alan Duncan, who lost the shadow business secretary's job to Mr Clarke, will shadow the Leader of the House, Harriet Harman. Dominic Grieve moves from home affairs to justice, Nick Herbert is promoted to shadow environment secretary and Theresa May to shadow work and pensions secretary.