Cabinet reshuffle: Jeremy Hunt shakes off scandal to land key job

By DAVID MADDOX
Published on 05/09/2012 01:42

IT WAS a day of nervous smiles and grim faces as ministers waited to learn their fates and back-bench MPs checked their phones for that life-changing call as David Cameron reshaped his government.

In Downing Street the bunting was out in what seemed to be a celebration for the new ministers as they arrived to be given their jobs. Instead, it was to mark the Paralympic Games.

The Prime Minister had done the hard part in the privacy of his office the night before, delivering bad news to those who were sacked, such as Caroline Spelman, and others who were demoted, such as Ken Clarke.

An early arrival to Number 10 was the deputy party chairman Michael Fallon who had hoped to be made Tory chairman and take a place in the Cabinet. He was to be mildly disappointed with a job as number two in the department for Business, Innovation and Skills.

But the biggest grin of the day belonged to Jeremy Hunt who just a few short weeks ago appeared to be reaching a disastrous end to his political career over his handling of the Murdochs’ attempts to get 100 per cent ownership of BSkyB.

Instead, he left Downing Street almost staggering with astonishment at his promotion to Health Secretary.

“It’s the biggest privilege of my life,” he spluttered before getting into his new ministerial car. The least happy was perhaps Justine Greening, who spent almost two hours in Downing Street talking over her new job. Just ten months after getting the Transport Secretary’s post she was being moved on against her will.

The serious look on her face as she left spoke volumes about what she thought of being made International Development Secretary, a move that paves the way for a U-turn on a third runway at Heathrow, which she, as a west London MP, opposes.

But there was some cheer for Lib Dems with the return of David Laws. He could hardly contain his pleasure as he was made education minister and minister at large for Nick Clegg.