Cabinet Reshuffle......prescott?

[GUNTER]

There are strong rumours circulating that Blair might be planning a cabinet reshuffle next week.

If, for example he moved Prescott to another department, how would this affect the Falmer decision?

 

[Uncle Buck]

There are strong rumours circulating that Blair might be planning a cabinet reshuffle next week.

If, for example he moved Prescott to another department, how would this affect the Falmer decision?

Trouble with moving Prescott to another department is he might actually get to help run the country and there is no way Blair will allow him do that, so do not worry, he will sit on his arse where he is until the next election.

 

[The Large One]

Blair cannot unilaterally sack the Deputy Prime Minister.

I could be wrong, but I believe that Labour Party rules state that the Deputy Leader of the party must be elected. I think it's different for the Tories, where the leader appoints a deputy. So whatever happens, Prescott will still be Deputy Prime Minister.

 

[Scoffers]

Good point. That might really bugger up the process.

 

[Uncle Buck]

Blair cannot unilaterally sack the Deputy Prime Minister.

I could be wrong, but I believe that Labour Party rules state that the Deputy Leader of the party must be elected. I think it's different for the Tories, where the leader appoints a deputy. So whatever happens, Prescott will still be Deputy Prime Minister.

What they could do is remove responsibility for the environment and transport etc from him and create a meaningless role.

 

[Scoffers]

They could even take one of his Jags away

 

[Lammy]

Those that think 2 Jags himself will even look at this case are greatly miss-guided. It will be a case of one of his minuns saying sign this please John.

and we get our new ground!

 

[Scoffers]

I would have thought that Prescott would certainly look at the case (even if just briefly) as he will be ultimately responsible for the fall out.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

Shifting the Deputy Prime Minister is fundamentally a more complicated issue that simply reshuffling the cabinet.

Prescott is DPM because he is Deputy Leader of the Labour Party. That job is not in Blair's gift.

Falmer is a decision for Prescott because he is the Secretary of State who has happens to have planning responsibilities at the moment.

Blair could, in theory, decide that the Office of the DPM will no longer be responsible for planning matters. Planning could, for example, fall into the brief of DEFRA, or a reinstated Department of the Environment. Prescott used to be "Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions".

Whatever happens, the planning process would basically remain the same. The decision will be taken by the relevant Secretary of State with planning responsibilities, after he (or she) has read the advice given by the Casework officials in the relevant department. Those officials don't change when there's a cabinet reshuffle.

Nobody knows how much interest Prescott has taken in the Falmer case so far. All correspondence addressed to him will have been dealt with by his Casework officials. He's obviously aware of our campaign, and the level of support we have, but that doesn't shift the legal requirement that planning decisions have to be justified in terms of planning law. The civil servants are the guardians of that process. And they have basically said that they now have enough information to allow them to provide the appropriate advice to whichever politician takes the decision.





Besides which, it doesn't look likely that Blair wants to rock any boats right now.

 

[Lammy]

Shifting the Deputy Prime Minister is fundamentally a more complicated issue that simply reshuffling the cabinet.

Prescott is DPM because he is Deputy Leader of the Labour Party. That job is not in Blair's gift.

Falmer is a decision for Prescott because he is the Secretary of State who has happens to have planning responsibilities at the moment.

Blair could, in theory, decide that the Office of the DPM will no longer be responsible for planning matters. Planning could, for example, fall into the brief of DEFRA, or a reinstated Department of the Environment. Prescott used to be "Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions".

Whatever happens, the planning process would basically remain the same. The decision will be taken by the relevant Secretary of State with planning responsibilities, after he (or she) has read the advice given by the Casework officials in the relevant department. Those officials don't change when there's a cabinet reshuffle.

Nobody knows how much interest Prescott has taken in the Falmer case so far. All correspondence addressed to him will have been dealt with by his Casework officials. He's obviously aware of our campaign, and the level of support we have, but that doesn't shift the legal requirement that planning decisions have to be justified in terms of planning law. The civil servants are the guardians of that process. And they have basically said that they now have enough information to allow them to provide the appropriate advice to whichever politician takes the decision.





Besides which, it doesn't look likely that Blair wants to rock any boats right now.

Civil Servant - "We've done our homework John, we think you should say yes".

2 Jags - "Whatever, where do I sign?"

 

[Scoffers]

So JP has learnt to sign his own name now?

 

[The Large One]

He has. "John, you know the top of a hot cross bun? Of course you do. Well, make the same sign here..."

 

[Scoffers]

Ahh, that makes more sense, thanks for putting me straight.....

 

[Life After Bobby]

What they could do is remove responsibility for the environment and transport etc from him and create a meaningless role.

pretty difficult, since environment and transport are areas that he is currently not responsible for

 

[BensGrandad]

Shifting the Deputy Prime Minister is fundamentally a more complicated issue that simply reshuffling the cabinet.

Prescott is DPM because he is Deputy Leader of the Labour Party. That job is not in Blair's gift.

Falmer is a decision for Prescott because he is the Secretary of State who has happens to have planning responsibilities at the moment.

Blair could, in theory, decide that the Office of the DPM will no longer be responsible for planning matters. Planning could, for example, fall into the brief of DEFRA, or a reinstated Department of the Environment. Prescott used to be "Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions".

Whatever happens, the planning process would basically remain the same. The decision will be taken by the relevant Secretary of State with planning responsibilities, after he (or she) has read the advice given by the Casework officials in the relevant department. Those officials don't change when there's a cabinet reshuffle.

Nobody knows how much interest Prescott has taken in the Falmer case so far. All correspondence addressed to him will have been dealt with by his Casework officials. He's obviously aware of our campaign, and the level of support we have, but that doesn't shift the legal requirement that planning decisions have to be justified in terms of planning law. The civil servants are the guardians of that process. And they have basically said that they now have enough information to allow them to provide the appropriate advice to whichever politician takes the decision.





Besides which, it doesn't look likely that Blair wants to rock any boats right now.

The nitty gritty of this is that even if JP lost the responsibility for planning it would be a case of another politician being given the same information and the same civil servants giving their views so it shouldnt alter the time scale for an answer in any way?

 

[Scoffers]

Right, but surely that would delay the decision as the new politician would have to be seen to be properly looking at the issue