MASSACRE OF THE MIDDLE-AGED MEN
May promotes women and ethnic minority MPs to make Government ‘more like the country’
THERESA May carried out a ‘massacre of middle-aged men’ on the second day of her New Year reshuffle.
She promoted a string of female and ethnic minority MPs yesterday to make her Government look ‘more like the country it serves’. Eight women joined the ranks compared with six men. Some have been in parliament for only two years and five of them come from minority backgrounds. Ten of the 11 ministers axed during the reshuffle were white men.
Of the Tory Party’s 19 minority MPs, 12 now have a job in government or at Conservative Central Office. Downing Street ducked questions on whether Mrs May was using positive discrimination, but her official spokesman confirmed one aim of the reshuffle was to make the Government more representative.
However, Cabinet ministers are still five times more likely to have been privately educated than the general population. Key developments last night included:
A shake-up at the whips’ office in the wake of the sexual harassment scandal, with six women joining the team;
Universities minister Jo Johnson being moved after his decision to appoint
toby Young to a new regulator led to embarrassment for the Government;
the appointment of former families minister Caroline Dinenage as a dedicated social care minister;
the sacking of trade minister mark Garnier who achieved notoriety last year when it emerged he had called a female member of staff ‘sugar t**s’ and asked her to buy a sex toy;
New ministers at the key Brexit and housing departments.
the shake-up sparked a backlash from some male mps who claimed they were being unfairly discriminated against.
philip Davies said the reshuffle had created ‘a legitimate concern that some people may feel they have been hoofed out or not promoted simply because they are a white male. If that were to be the case, clearly that would unacceptable’.
He added: ‘time will tell as to whether these people have got their jobs on merit or whether they have got them on tokenism. But obviously any self-respecting Conservative would say that all jobs should be given on merit and we should be blind to people’s gender, race or religion.
‘It does not do anyone any favours to promote people who are not ready for promotion just because of their gender or race.’
the grassroots tory website Conservative Home, branded the junior reshuffle the ‘massacre of the middle-aged men’.
mrs may said the reshuffle was aimed at ‘bringing fresh talent into Government, boosting delivery in key policy areas like housing, health and social care, and ensuring the Government looks more like the country it serves’. she added: ‘It also allows a new generation of gifted ministers to step up and make life better for people across the whole UK.’
Women and ethnic minority mps fared well, with Harriett Baldwin, margot James and miss Dinenage all being made ministers of state, attracting a higher salary and greater responsibility. alok sharma was promoted to the key role of employment minister, while sam Gyimah was made universities minister.
Yesterday’s reshuffle of the lower ranks followed a difficult Cabinet shake-up the previous day in which Health secretary Jeremy Hunt refused mrs may’s request to move departments and Justine Greening was sacked after she refused to switch from education to welfare.
No new ethnic minority ministers joined the Cabinet and the number of women in it did not change. analysis by the sutton trust found that mrs may’s top team had gone backward in terms of reflecting the educational backgrounds of the rest of the country. the proportion that went to private schools rose from 30 per cent to 34 per cent – almost five times the national average. a further 24 per cent, including mrs may, attended selective state schools.
Former tory leader Iain Duncan smith said: ‘the intention was to have a very big junior ministerial shake-up.
‘that is the key to what then happens to the Cabinet in about nine months when I think there will be bigger changes.’
MARGOT JAMES
The new number two in the culture department was the first openly lesbian MP in the Conservative Party. Miss James, 60, had set up the consultancy Shire Health before being elected in 2010. Previously minister for small businesses, she now takes the lead on digital.
CLAIRE PERRY
The MP is given a beefed-up role as minister
for climate change and industry, taking charge on renewables. Under David Cameron, Mrs Perry, 53, campaigned for blocks on online porn, and the former banker was appointed as government tsar on the sexualisation of children.
HARRIETT BALDWIN
Ex-investment banker Mrs Baldiwn, whose husband is a TV producer, moves from defence minister in charge of procurement to minister of state for Africa. Mrs Baldwin, 57, will be attending Cabinet for the first time.
CAROLINE DINENAGE
TV presenter Fred Dinenage’s daughter has been promoted to minister for social care. Miss Dinenage, 46, who ran her own firm before becoming MP, will be in charge of the drive to overhaul elderly care.
The mother of two, who married Tory MP
Mark Lancaster in 2014, takes a step up from her Department of Work and Pensions role in charge of family support.
CAROLINE NOKES
Former National Pony Society chief Mrs Nokes moves from the Cabinet Office. The 45-year-old, who entered the Commons in 2010, will also attend Cabinet for the first time, as the minister of state for immigration.