David Cameron invited to explain reshuffle decisions
Author: Zoe Stavri
Published on Sep 05, 2012
David Cameron has reshuffled all ranks of government. Everybody has an opinion about how the reshuffle has been done, or who has been moved where, while the question as to why reshuffles happen is lost in the noise.
The Political and Constitutional Select Committee is on hand to investigate this issue, having launched an enquiry into the impact and effectiveness of ministerial reshuffles in May. Recently, Select Committee’s chair, Graham Allen MP has written to David Cameron asking him to give oral evidence to the Committee.
The reasoning behind this is sound. Cameron is the person with the power to reshuffle his government by appointing, dismissing and moving ministers. He is therefore one of the most crucial people to ask for his motivation behind making changes, and providing information where possible about how the decisions are made.
At present, we can only speculate as to what goes on inside a Prime Minister’s head as they order a reshuffle, or wait for years for their memoirs to come out. To get direct answers would lift the shroud of secrecy on a process that currently goes on behind closed doors, increasing transparency of governmental proceedings.
Hopefully David Cameron will accept the Select Committee’s invitation and shed some light on the reshuffling process. Then we can get back to arguing about what he’s done.