News

Howard's Way.... a weekly column from the Rt. Hon. Michael Howard QC. MP. 

9 October 2008

As I write we are still awaiting the final details of the Government reshuffle.

Although a great deal has been written about reshuffles only those who have been involved in them have a true understanding of the extraordinary nature of the process.

Everyone remembers the time they get the call which leads to their first job as a Government Minister. It happened to me almost exactly 23 years ago when I was called to go to London to see the Prime Minister, who was then, of course, Margaret Thatcher.

There had been a certain amount of speculation in the media but no-one, least of all me, had any inkling of the job I was actually asked to do. I was made Minister for Corporate and Consumer Affairs in the Department of Trade and Industry as it was then called. The first thing I had to do was to find out where it was!

Over the next 12 years I was involved in four more reshuffles before the change of government in 1997.

Six years later, when I was Leader of the Opposition, I had the responsibility of carrying out one or two myself. They rarely go entirely to plan and while it’s enjoyable enough to offer people promotions it’s very unpleasant to have to tell people you want to give their job to someone else.

Inevitably it can be a brutal process.

On one occasion Clement Atlee was asked by one of his departing ministers why he was being sacked.

“Not up to it” replied Atlee in his characteristic laconic style, apparently not looking up from the papers on his desk.

In these perilous times I wish the newcomers well – even if I also hope their experience of office will not last for more than eighteen months!