Shadow Cabinet Reshuffle

It is widely expected that David Cameron will be announcing some changes to his shadow cabinet at some point over the next couple of weeks. Originally he was planning some changes back in the summer but Gordy bottled it again and didn’t do a proper reshuffle himself. Cameron was forced to wait, but he can’t wait much longer as changes need to take place before an election. The shadow team we enter February 2009 with will be the one that enters the general election and then hopefully becomes the cabinet after the said election.

My tips for some changes begin with Home Secretary. I expect Dominic Grieve will be moved back to his former job of Shadow Attorney General. This will create a vacancy in his current position of Shadow Home Secretary. As this is such a prominent position, Cameron will need a close ally and also someone who will be good at the job. I reckon he will go with the current Shadow Justice Secretary, Nick Herbert. If that happens there will be a vacancy there as well.

Amongst some names I expect to enter the shadow cabinet are Maria Millar, Justine Greening, David Burrowes and Ed Vaizy.

The current Shadow international development secretary Andrew Mitchell is quite unpopular and has been rather ineffective in his role. I have no idea who will replace him.

There has been much talk of the likes of David Davis and Ken Clarke returning to the mix. I expect not. Davis is now a liability for Cameron after their fallout over 42 days and Clarke is liable to mistakes. A possibility which Cameron simply cannot allow.

William Hague has been speaking out quite a bit recently, ut that’s more to let us all know he’s still around. I think he wants to be leader again knowing that if Cameron lost the next election, there would be no hesitation in dumping Dave as leader.

Finally, Caroline Spelman will no longer be party chairman. Eric Pickles has long been the hot tip as a replacement, but names such as the current shadow culture secretary Jeremy Hunt has also been mooted.