Sunday 19 October 2008

My fantasy Cabinet

A very sharp piece today by Andrew Rawnsley points out that neither of the current front benches has any credibility at all in the present crisis situation:
Gordon Brown in June 2005 giving the Chancellor's annual speech to the City at the Mansion House (.....) paid lavish homage to 'your unique innovative skills, your courage and steadfastness'. They had his personal thanks 'for the outstanding, the invaluable contribution you make to the prosperity of Britain'.  (.....)

Gordon Brown surpassed himself when he returned in 2007 to deliver his final Mansion House speech (.....) 'A new world order has been created,' he proclaimed. Britain was 'a new world leader' thanks to 'your efforts, ingenuity and creativity'. He congratulated himself for 'resisting pressure' to toughen up regulation of their activities. Everyone needed to follow the City's 'great example', emulate this 'high value-added, talent-driven industry'. 'Britain needs more of the vigour, ingenuity and aspiration that you already demonstrate.' Thanks to their 'remarkable achievements', we had the huge privilege to live in 'an era that history will record as the beginning of a new Golden Age'.

(.....) What he then hailed as a 'Golden Age', the Prime Minister now deplores as an 'Age of Irresponsibility'.
David Cameron comes out of all this no better. In June 2006, Rawnsley reminds us,
he trumpeted 'the victory of capitalism, privatisation and liberalisation'. (.....) It proved that 'light regulation' and 'low regulation' were 'keys to success'.
(.....) In September 2007, Mr Cameron (.....) chose to amplify his thesis about the ascendancy of unconstrained capitalism. In a section entitled 'The End Of Economic History?', he answered the question by declaring that: 'The debate is now settled.' 'Liberalism' had prevailed. The left's silly idea that markets required tight regulation had been thoroughly discredited. 'The result? The world economy more stable than for a generation.' 
All this being so, perhaps it is time for a Government of National Unity. We have coalitions in wartime and now we are at war against the danger of economic meltdown. Here are some suggestions for a Lib/Lab/Con coalition cabinet that brings in sensible people of talent irrespective of party, and that removes from office those most tainted with blame for getting us into the current mess:

Prime Minister: Kenneth Clarke
Chancellor: Vince Cable
Housing: Jon Cruddas
Transport: Norman Baker
Leader of the House:  Tony Wright
Energy and Climate Change: Michael Meacher
Culture: Gerald Kaufman
Chief Whip: Charles Kennedy
Europe: David Curry
Leader of the Lords: Chris Patten
Foreign Secretary: Ming Campbell
Business: Chris Huhne
Communities: Diane Abbott
Education: David Willetts
Social Services: Frank Field
Health: Evan Harris
Security: Dame Pauline Neville-Jones
Immigration: Damian Green
Defence: Sir George Young
Environment: John Gummer
Justice: Bob Marshall-Andrews
Home Secretary: David Davis
Scotland: Malcolm Bruce
Wales: Lembit Opik

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

So you don't care about Wales then?

Tom said...

A few more suggestions while we're being way out and wacky:

Transport - Ken Livingstone
Chief Secretary To The Treasury - Damien Hockney
Education - Michael Portillo
Teaboy - Boris Johnson

peezedtee said...

I was confining myself to current members of one or other House. But if Ken Livingstone would like to be a peer of the realm (seems a little unlikely) I would certainly make him Transport Secretary.