Link to this page: http://www.socialistparty.org.uk/issue/733/15219
From The Socialist newspaper, 12 September 2012
Cabinet reshuffle
Jeremy Hunt and demo rhyming chants
You might know Jeremy Hunt as just another Tory minister to get booed at the Paralympics. But this son of an admiral, Oxford educated and related to both the Queen and fascist Oswald Mosley, is now secretary of state for health.
His other 'achievements' include: a failed business in exporting marmalade to Japan, fiddling £20,000 in MPs' expenses; having to apologise to Liverpool fans and the families of victims of the Hillsborough stadium disaster after falsely claiming that hooliganism played a part in the 96 deaths; and avoiding paying £100,000 in tax after doing a nifty number through his company (nothing to do with marmalade!).
In his last post as culture secretary, after making department cuts of up to 50%, he hired his own parliamentary assistant, daughter of a Tory peer, on a permanent fixed contract.
He also played a part in the News Corporation scandal, overseeing the company's BSkyB bid which he refused to refer to the competition commission. The Leveson inquiry into phone hacking activities revealed Hunt's improper contact with News Corp's James Murdoch, congratulating him on the success of his bid. The bid was eventually dropped.
He was also responsible for the security at the Olympics in which private company G4S, having been awarded a lucrative contract, failed to provide sufficient security personnel. The deficit was only plugged by mobilising the armed forces.
So this is the guy Cameron thinks is the best man to run our NHS. Corruption and scandal seem to be the only way Hunt works.
Health workers will be thinking of some rhyming chants for demos as we continue to fight for our NHS!
A health worker
Other lesser spotted ministers
Out of 27 ministers, 17 are Oxbridge educated and only four are women. Among the reshuffled are:
- Tory party chairman, Grant Shapps. Shapps was previously housing minister, but not a full cabinet member. Although he's been exposed editing his own Wikipedia entry, including deleting information about donations from estate agents, he has now been promoted to full cabinet status.
- Maria Miller was made minister for disabled people when the coalition took power in 2010. Since then she has been trying to close Remploy factories and push disabled people further into poverty. As the new culture secretary she will also be responsible for women and gay rights policy. Her credentials for this include voting to cut abortion rights, being against gay adoption and in favour of defining homophobia, racial hatred and prejudice as "freedom of speech".
- Lib Dem right-winger David Laws has been made a minister in the department of education two years after being forced to resign as chief secretary to the treasury over fiddling his expenses. He had to repay £56,000. As minister for children and families he will have a roving brief which, puzzlingly, includes responsibility for a review of the Trident nuclear defence system.
- The new environment secretary is Owen Patterson, brother-in-law of climate change sceptic Matt Ridley. Patterson has opposed the building of wind farms in Wales and also called for the ending of wind and solar power subsidies. Instead, he wants to fast-track the use of shale gas - the extraction of which is considered environmentally damaging - virtually ripping up the renewable and greenhouse gas targets. His support for airport expansion also opens up the likelihood of a Tory u-turn over a third runway at Heathrow.
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In The Socialist 12 September 2012:
Fight against austerity
Build a 24-hour general strike
TUC passes general strike motion
NSSN lobby demands a 24-hour general strike
Teachers must unite against Tories
Socialist Party news and analysis
Con-Dem housing measures - in 'the thick of it'?
After the Paralympics... Stop the Con-Dems' assault on disabled
Cable attacks health and safety
'Red tape' bonfire puts workers at more risk
More bad news from media mogul Murdoch
International socialist news and analysis
Quebec Solidaire's electoral gains show potential for left
Honduras: Privatised cities in the global economy
Socialist Party feature: TUSC
We need a political voice to fight austerity
Socialist Party youth and students
Socialist students: Fighting for education
Bristol YFJ: "We're not lazy - we're fighting back"
Global youth unemployment rises
Youth Fight for Jobs in action! Coming events
Socialist Party workplace news
Workers' unity against brutal bosses at Cranswick Foods
East Coast train cleaners on strike
RMT assistant secretary arrested on picket line
Fighting NHS cuts
NHS under attack - Stop the closures, stop the cuts
Bromsgrove meeting opposes A&E closure
Demo against heart unit closure in Leicester
Socialist Party reports and campaigns
Sheffield Socialist Party pickets strike-breaking facility
Brent Labour: Making families homeless
Young tenants to lobby Leeds council over housing crisis
Reviews and comments
The Reunion rewrites history: the Poll Tax
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