tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3881762807913180318.post6752965183618559888..comments2024-01-23T16:53:02.428+00:00Comments on Mark Thompson: Ken Clarke - the great political survivorMark Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00744387583593537268noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3881762807913180318.post-9058189160817688122010-05-17T00:15:21.521+01:002010-05-17T00:15:21.521+01:00Andrew, Cameron had to make room for Cable and he ...Andrew, Cameron had to make room for Cable and he was never going to be made Chancellor of the Exchequer, so Business is his appropriate next-best. At Ken's age he isn't going to quibble about being moved sideways from the dreary task of digging Britain out of Brown's gaping hole.<br /><br />David, Ken's a Tory. At the Justice Department he gets to be Lord High Chancellor and Keeper of the Queen's Conscience, occupying the oldest office of state and giving him precedence over all other members of the government. Just observing the pleasure he took in being sworn in as Lord Chancellor, you could see that Ken Clarke will be just as happy overseeing the judiciary as he would have been troubling over rebalancing the economy. He offered authoritative and effective opposition to Mandelson. Now Mandelson's gone, and Cable's in, Ken can move on to crowning his political career by sitting at the apex of his pre-political profession. Labour may have viewed the job as a graveyard, but I'm sure like Lord Hailsham, Ken will give it the best of his latter years in life.PaulMBentleynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3881762807913180318.post-32960926137807908742010-05-14T11:22:58.501+01:002010-05-14T11:22:58.501+01:00This looks a little like a sideways move to me. H...This looks a little like a sideways move to me. He was brought in bacause of the financial crisis and he's now been shunted away from that area of policy.<br /><br />Mark- how do you think the appointment will effect the chances of libel reform?Andrewnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3881762807913180318.post-1816228097548017502010-05-13T17:18:24.511+01:002010-05-13T17:18:24.511+01:00Remarkable it is, but let's not get carried aw...Remarkable it is, but let's not get carried away. The Justice portfolio is one he had no interest in and in the space of three years has become where old ministers go to die. Out at the first reshuffle - "there's enough people to the left of the leader in this government, thankyouverymuch."redarsedbaboonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13786514603662788547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3881762807913180318.post-32880717104101350842010-05-13T12:26:26.173+01:002010-05-13T12:26:26.173+01:00Ken Clarke is great! …and it would help the coalit...Ken Clarke is great! …and it would help the coalition for Lib Dems to bear him in mind when looking at the differences between the two parties.<br /><br />-SimonAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com