Patrick Vallance and John Timson...

[CurlewKate]

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

The amount of people complaining about this when they don't even know the difference between a Minister and a Secretary of State is laughable.

"I can't believe someone unelected can be in this role?! I've not bothered to research why it's possible or check the role is what I think it is, but I'm outraged!"

The government is full of unelected advisors political and not (spads, civil servants etc), god forbid some of them be famous experts in their fields rather than nameless people we never see or hear about.

Ive just read Rory Stewart's book and I'm hopeful about these appointments. Both James Timpson and Patrick Vallance have enough knowledge to be able to challenge and really understand the issues on the ground.

I also quite like the fact that he Attorney General is a kc who has spent most of his career challenging the government. He's not going to be a yes man and is also a competent barrister unlike Suella

James Timpson, who I think is admirable, is about to be given a peerage. This means that he will not be able to be an active participant in House of Commons debates. I do understand the difference between a Secretary of State and a Minister.

It's fairly common for ministers to be members of the HoL. The Secretary of State who they work for takes questions in the HoC. It's a good system, since the HoL can provide actual expertise which is rarely to be found in elected MPs. Look at the absolute dregs we've had filling offices of state in the last few years.

@GCAcademic Thank you, that's a perspective I hadn't considered and in that case it's very valuable.

I think the controversy over Cameron’s appointment was having an SoS (and one of the great offices of state no less) sat in the Lords rather than the Commons, though I do think on balance he was an excellent appointment.

As others have said, the SoS can provide accountability in the Commons for the junior ministers.

I think it’s all about getting the right balance and it’s never going to be perfect. People want individuals with expertise in ministerial roles. They also want people with a strong local connection as their constituency MP. It’s not always going to be possible to achieve both.

Torsten Bell (formerly head of the Resolution Foundation) is going to be such an asset to the Labour party at a Westminster level but to get him there he was parachuted slightly randomly into Swansea.

James Timpson I think is an absolutely inspired appointment for Prisons, but he may have had no desire to fulfil the wider role of an MP, or there might have been no constituency he felt competent to represent. Who knows.

Angela Rayner has lived experience of social housing which is amazing, but no particular expertise in getting social housing built. But Matthew Pennycook who is the junior minister responsible for housing has spent years shadowing the role and knows his onions - so I think that’s a brilliant pairing.

This a million times over!

The whole Timpson family are amazing. They dont just give money but actively volunteer in a wide range of charities/ voluntary groups

Yes, hearing this news was fantastic.

If you want to radically reform prisons away from “lock them up and throw away the key” (which quite clearly doesn’t work but has a lot of public support) it probably helps a huge amount to have someone like Timpson who is seen as a straightforward down-to-earth guy not an out-of-touch idealist. He’ll be able to take the public along with him in a way that few others could. Honestly so excited about this.

Vallance is that insipid wankstain that locked down our country at will as Boris just thought he'd better do as he was told.

He also does a lot to support adoptive families.

He was featured by the BBC Profile podcast recently and seem a good fit for the role: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m001wgyy

And kinship families/foster families.

John Timpson very good.

Patrick Vallance very bad.

What's wrong with valence? I was thinking at least a real scientist?

Valance is a scientist and we shouldn't be swayed by covid conspiracy theory. His job wasn't political-he was an adviser in the pandemic.

Yes timspson sounds very inspiring. Valance I'm not sure about at all I prefer whitty.
A huge percentage of prisoners are illiterate so it would be fabulous if the education sec, our leveling up sec and prison man all do some joined up thinking and introduce a range! Yes a controversial idea :but a range of ways to read, not just phonics.

@ExecutionersBong.
Boris is a libertarian who didn't want to lock anyone down.
We locked down to late.
However by that stage are you y
saying Boris should have gone his own way?

You can prefer Whitty all you want; he may not have wanted the job.

I am delighted we have a senior scientist with experience and knowledge of public service in this role.

Vallance has been (understandably, but unfairly) tainted in some of the public’s view because of Covid. He was the chief scientific advisor at the time, but didn’t get to make the decisions - that was squarely on Johnson and his cabinet. I know a few people who’ve worked with Vallance closely and only have glowing things to say about him. Having an experienced scientist in this role is excellent news. I feel similarly optimistic about Timpson.