Patrick Vallance and John Timson...

[CurlewKate]

in Government. That's an encouraging sign....

I agree. James Timoson is especially inspiring.

Heaven forbid we have a government that listens to experts. Good grief, they'll be acting like adults next. How will we cope 😆

Makes sense about Timson. He probably knows a lot about keys.

James Timpson runs an incredibly successful business that recruits specifically people who won’t otherwise find it difficult to find work. By doing this he probably has a greater success rate in rehabilitating offenders than our justice system. Timpson also offer free dry cleaning for unemployed people attending interviews. It’s a great example of using business for social good.

They also offer superb customer service.

I was so happy to wake up to this news. More experts, I say!

He's also chairman of the Prison Reform Trust. It's an excellent appointment and well deserved peerage

Really sorry for the ignorance here...

Both of these people I've heard of and I really respect.

But how do they become members of cabinet if not MPs? Is that usual?

Yes it's very heartening to see that experienced, competent individuals are being assigned portfolios where they can make a difference.
God, what a relief after these years of utter bloody chaos.

They're both being put in the House of Lords. It's the same way David Cameron ended up foreign Secretary.

As an aside, I don't think they will be in the cabinet - Vallance is to be a junior minister under Peter Kyle, the Secretary of State for science, innovation and technology. Similarly, Timpson is prisons minister, I'm not sure that's a cabinet position.

They've been given life peerages. It's the same as when Cameron was made foreign secretary

General Musings - they aren't MPs but they get appointed to the House of Lords and as a Lord / Lady can become a cabinet minister .
This happened in prev govt when David Cameron , who wasn't an MP was appointed to the Lords and then became foreign minister .

Ah yes house of lords makes sense to what I know. Thankyou

But it says he will be science minister. So you can appoint ministers in charge of things from house of lords as well as from your mps?
Really sorry for the lack of knowledge here I have tried googling!

I've always thought it would make more sense to have actual experts in their field than career politicians leading some of the decisions.

I've always had respect for Timpson and to have someone who is concerned about prison reform so senior would be amazing.

I've Google the education minister and she sounds perfect from her brief resume too. With a real understanding of those struggling as well as Oxford land.

It an extremely encouraging sign and says a lot about the way Starmer is planning on running his government.

A genuine relief to have people who know what they are talking about in ministerial positions for a change.

Huge admirer of Timpson chat. Successful business and decent?

Vallance - not so much

@GeneralMusings "But it says he will be science minister. So you can appoint ministers in charge of things from house of lords as well as from your mps?
Really sorry for the lack of knowledge here I have tried googling!

Ministers of State are junior to Secretaries of State who are all elected MPs. They can be brought in as expert advisers, but don't have a vote in the House. It's a way of broadening expertise and experience in a transparent way.

But it says he will be science minister. So you can appoint ministers in charge of things from house of lords as well as from your mps?

Yes, that's right.

Thankyou curlew

Its brilliant.

And we've got a housing minister who's lived in social housing and an education secretary who benefited from free school meals. I am very optimistic.

I admire James Timpson but I'm against unelected people being given positions of power. It's not the will of the people. Let them stand as MPs and be elected if they wish to hold office. Sunak did this with Cameron and Starmer is showing he's no better. No respecter of democracy.

@Vikina they don't have power. They are experts in their fields who advise the Secretary of State.

It means that the government can have the benefit of experts and we know who is advising them.

I remember the chef Tom Kerridge talking about the way Secretaries of State can be chosen for areas they have very little expertise in. "It's like putting me in charge of air transport. The food in the airport restaurants would be fantastic but all the planes would go to the wrong places."

James Timpson has been appointed as a Minister of State. I don't have a problem with people being advisers. I admire the use of expertise and I think Starmer will be good at doing this.

I sort of agree.

I definitely agree when it comes to the big cabinet positions. If they put someone in the HoL so they could be chancellor or foreign secretary or Home Secretary, I'd be critical (as I was when Sunak did it with Cameron). Having a foreign secretary who couldn't speak in the HoC was a joke. At least these two will sit under secretaries of state who can speak in the HoC and be held to account for their whole department I guess.

I do think one issue with our political system is having people who don't necessarily have the required expertise and knowledge suddenly running departments and being in charge of huge areas. Plus the rate of change in some of the positions. You get people who were minister for housing one day, and then suddenly they're in charge of prisons, and then 6 months later they're moved again. Of course they don't do a good job.
With these two, they'll probably be long term - unless they do something wrong, you're not going to make someone a peer just to reshuffle them out in a few months. And I think that's a very good thing. I also think it's a good thing to have people with relevant knowledge.
But with Timpson, will he be quitting his job? Prisons minister seems like something someone should be doing full time. Although of course if an elected MP does the role, they're combining it with being an MP, constituency work etc.

I think I'm alright with junior ministers being appointed in this way. If it starts creeping up towards more senior positions, I'm less comfortable with it.

And indeed a health secretary who is a cancer survivor

He's also appointed a senior KC as Attorney General.
I do a massive eye roll when people say that all politicians are the same. Tories would be filling these positions with their friends, donors and cronies.
Starmer is fundamentally a decent man.