The implications of John Prescott being stripped of his Department are many and various, so to help you keep up here is a list of some of the crazy things that seem to be going on.
The Communities and Local Government Department (a name which at least means something) now has more work to do, with fewer senior Ministers. Ruth Kelly takes over from Prescott and Miliband, and as well as being the Secretary of State she is also Minister for Women. Add to that the fact that the Department is taking on all the Faith and Communities work from the Home Office (passing it from one monolithic over-sized department to another) and it makes you really hope that the civil servants are up to the task!
And on to Prescott himself. What exactly will he be doing? Well, other than chairing a few Cabinet Committees (we’re not sure which) and standing in for Tony occasionally, no one seems to know. I doubt he does either.
Tory MPs, especially the new ones, who are desperate for a bit of publicity (and recognition from Cameron) are rushing breathlessly to ask Parliamentary Questions about his role. Probably the most amusing/insulting questions come from James Arbuthnot (North East Hampshire):
- To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how much time per week he expects will be available for him to carry out his responsibilities as Deputy Prime Minister. (69969)
- To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether his responsibilities as Deputy Prime Minister give rise to a budget for (a) entertainment and (b) travel; and if he will make a statement. (69970)
Prescott was an easy media target before Tracy Temple - now it’s like shooting fish in a barrel. Still a fun pasttime.
And a final thought for this question, as yet unanswered after nearly two weeks:
Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, whether he plans to commemorate his anniversary of 10 years as Deputy Prime Minister. (66225)
redtamarin[at]gmail.com
Loading ...
Erm - isn’t Meg Munn still Minister for Women? Ruth Kelly has just taken over the position of representing women in cabinet instead of John Prescott - I mean Tessa Jowell…
Incidently, loving the new Department of Local Government and Communities website. Particularly the bit where they decided to keep the organisational chart from the ODPM under their “How the Department is organised page” (http://www.odpm.gov.uk/index.asp?id=1122596)
Updated in April 2006 too!
Eskimo Nell said this on May 9th, 2006 at 11:23 am
No, Ruth Kelly is Minister for Women. Meg Munn probably still has a supporting role in that area, which would explain her moving into the Department. Check the official Ministerial list - http://www.number-10.gov.uk/output/Page2988.asp
You have to pity the poor sod who has to go through the whole of the ODPM website chaging ODPM to CLG. They’ve just got started on the front page by removing the ODPM logo and putting on a crappy placeholder, but beyond that there’s a hell of a lot of work to do…
Red Tamarin said this on May 9th, 2006 at 11:34 am
Ok, that list does also say Meg Munn has responsibility for women and equality though. Typically a Secretary of State wouldn’t have such a specific charge as being responsible for women (unless it’s John Prescott)
Have we uncovered another Downing Street scandal??? Two Ministers for Women, and none for men…
Eskimo Nell said this on May 9th, 2006 at 12:23 pm
Harry Hutton has some excellent advice for Prescot”If I were his lawyer, I would point out that using a government office for having sex with his secretary was far less ruinous for Britain than how he might otherwise have been using it. While Prescott was harmlessly fucking his secretary, the rest of the cabinet were probably hatching schemes to make us all line up and be fingerprinted. Put it this way: would you rather he was shafting his secretary, or the nation? We got off lightly.”
Prescottit said this on May 9th, 2006 at 1:28 pm
Let it hereby be decreed that DCLG be known as DECLOG. Good way to piss off senior civil servants - remember DeCAff? There’s probably a Prescott joke in there too….
Shay Gibbon said this on May 9th, 2006 at 3:56 pm
But what about the ridicule Prezza will face when he stands up to speak next in the House. Imagine the catcalls and the little fingers being waggled. The humiliation will make it almost impossible to gain a hearing.
Bill Jones said this on May 9th, 2006 at 9:35 pm