Tories’ FCO mutterings
Some younger Conservative MPs are muttering their frustrations at what they see as veteran “bed-blocker” ministers in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Under William Hague, the junior ministers are the Tories David Lidington, Henry Bellingham, Alistair Burt, plus the Lib Dem Jeremy Browne, whose father was a diplomat. A Tory MP says: “We traditionally put our best and brightest future hopes into junior FCO positions.” Malcolm Rifkind, Chris Patten and Francis Maude were all earmarked for rises through ranks with early FCO ministerial posts. Now, Hague is seen as the only “star” in the office. Junior ministers have even less power now that foreign policy, from Tony Blair’s premiership onwards, has increasingly been absorbed by Downing Street. Even so, the MP adds: “We think the FCO ministerial jobs should go to 2010 thrusters and not be squatted by MPs who entered the Commons some time in the last century.”
Hammond’s Trident battle
Philip Hammond’s revelation of cuts to the army on 5th July did not mention the future of Trident. But hints that the defence secretary considers three submarines not four sufficient to maintain Britain’s nuclear deterrent, given improvements in propulsion and servicing time, have appalled the “deterrent community,” as those arguing for four vessels call themselves.
Hammond, who shows some sensitivity to charges that he is a bean counter, has taken to beginning speeches by saying “I’m not an accountant.” Some credit him with using austerity to make overdue reforms, but the upper ranks of the military are full of sardonic jokes about whether officers asked to justify their budgets should submit cost-benefit analysis of wars they might claim to have averted. One general has already told the former transport secretary that he cannot treat soldiers risking their lives in the same way as he did commuters on regional trains.
But Hammond, not without diplomatic skill, has won one battle of his own over the cost of the exit from Afghanistan, where £3.5bn of British kit lies on the ground, including state of the art weapons and armoured vehicles. Pakistan had closed its Afghan border to Nato and may do so again, and so Hammond was forced to make the unappealing trek to President Islam Karimov, autocratic ruler of Uzbekistan, to ask for permission to drag the kit out through his territory. Karimov made him listen for 90 minutes to his thoughts on the state of the world but Hammond’s stamina appears to have been rewarded, with a basic assent that when Britain looks to the exits, it can look north.
The return of Huhne?
Chris Huhne has kept a low profile amid the ongoing court case over speeding points with his estranged wife, Vicky Pryce. Since both were charged by the police in February, and Huhne was forced to resign as energy and climate change secretary, he has refused to comment on politics. However, he tells Prospect that he is writing a book. “I am in the very early stages of researching a book on economic shocks and changes and how countries respond to them, taking historical examples,” Huhne says.
“I am also working on some shorter term ideas for the Lib Dems for policies either for the coalition or for the general election.” Huhne, who narrowly lost the Lib Dem leadership to Nick Clegg in 2007, may hope to return to the front line.
Whips on a sinking ship
Tory and Lib Dem whips bonded gloomily at an end-of-term party on board a Thames cruiser, The Cockney Sparrow. Patrick McLoughlin, the Tories’ chief whip, was overheard discussing rebellions on the Tory backbenches. Following the row over Lords reform, McLoughlin pointed out, there is more trouble ahead over legislation on gay marriage and high speed rail. “Next year will be even harder,” he said.
Mandelson warns Labour
Presenting Prospect’s annual think tank awards in central London on 10th July (p40), Peter Mandelson had a gentle dig at the Labour party he said he “loves.” Lord Mandelson said he thought that there could be a general election earlier than 2015, the date pencilled in by the coalition. Therefore, he said, the opposition needs to “get its skates on” in preparing its largely unwritten manifesto.
Irony Burger
Spotted on the menu at Shultzy’s diner in Seattle: the “Irony Burger”-—a veggie burger with bacon and cheese.
Some younger Conservative MPs are muttering their frustrations at what they see as veteran “bed-blocker” ministers in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Under William Hague, the junior ministers are the Tories David Lidington, Henry Bellingham, Alistair Burt, plus the Lib Dem Jeremy Browne, whose father was a diplomat. A Tory MP says: “We traditionally put our best and brightest future hopes into junior FCO positions.” Malcolm Rifkind, Chris Patten and Francis Maude were all earmarked for rises through ranks with early FCO ministerial posts. Now, Hague is seen as the only “star” in the office. Junior ministers have even less power now that foreign policy, from Tony Blair’s premiership onwards, has increasingly been absorbed by Downing Street. Even so, the MP adds: “We think the FCO ministerial jobs should go to 2010 thrusters and not be squatted by MPs who entered the Commons some time in the last century.”
Hammond’s Trident battle
Philip Hammond’s revelation of cuts to the army on 5th July did not mention the future of Trident. But hints that the defence secretary considers three submarines not four sufficient to maintain Britain’s nuclear deterrent, given improvements in propulsion and servicing time, have appalled the “deterrent community,” as those arguing for four vessels call themselves.
Hammond, who shows some sensitivity to charges that he is a bean counter, has taken to beginning speeches by saying “I’m not an accountant.” Some credit him with using austerity to make overdue reforms, but the upper ranks of the military are full of sardonic jokes about whether officers asked to justify their budgets should submit cost-benefit analysis of wars they might claim to have averted. One general has already told the former transport secretary that he cannot treat soldiers risking their lives in the same way as he did commuters on regional trains.
But Hammond, not without diplomatic skill, has won one battle of his own over the cost of the exit from Afghanistan, where £3.5bn of British kit lies on the ground, including state of the art weapons and armoured vehicles. Pakistan had closed its Afghan border to Nato and may do so again, and so Hammond was forced to make the unappealing trek to President Islam Karimov, autocratic ruler of Uzbekistan, to ask for permission to drag the kit out through his territory. Karimov made him listen for 90 minutes to his thoughts on the state of the world but Hammond’s stamina appears to have been rewarded, with a basic assent that when Britain looks to the exits, it can look north.
The return of Huhne?
Chris Huhne has kept a low profile amid the ongoing court case over speeding points with his estranged wife, Vicky Pryce. Since both were charged by the police in February, and Huhne was forced to resign as energy and climate change secretary, he has refused to comment on politics. However, he tells Prospect that he is writing a book. “I am in the very early stages of researching a book on economic shocks and changes and how countries respond to them, taking historical examples,” Huhne says.
“I am also working on some shorter term ideas for the Lib Dems for policies either for the coalition or for the general election.” Huhne, who narrowly lost the Lib Dem leadership to Nick Clegg in 2007, may hope to return to the front line.
Whips on a sinking ship
Tory and Lib Dem whips bonded gloomily at an end-of-term party on board a Thames cruiser, The Cockney Sparrow. Patrick McLoughlin, the Tories’ chief whip, was overheard discussing rebellions on the Tory backbenches. Following the row over Lords reform, McLoughlin pointed out, there is more trouble ahead over legislation on gay marriage and high speed rail. “Next year will be even harder,” he said.
Mandelson warns Labour
Presenting Prospect’s annual think tank awards in central London on 10th July (p40), Peter Mandelson had a gentle dig at the Labour party he said he “loves.” Lord Mandelson said he thought that there could be a general election earlier than 2015, the date pencilled in by the coalition. Therefore, he said, the opposition needs to “get its skates on” in preparing its largely unwritten manifesto.
Irony Burger
Spotted on the menu at Shultzy’s diner in Seattle: the “Irony Burger”-—a veggie burger with bacon and cheese.
