View all newsletters
Sign up to our newsletters

Support 110 years of independent journalism.

2 December 2009

Exclusive: Ruth Kelly “would have secured EU financial role for UK“

Former economist was also in running for EU role

By James Macintyre

Ruth Kelly, the former cabinet minister, can be revealed as the latest British politician to have missed out on a major EU job. Newstatesman.com has learned that she was also in the running to become European Commissioner responsible for financial affairs.

Gordon Brown has come under criticism in some quarters for losing out on the European financial portfolio when the Commission jobs were divvied up last month. Baroness Ashton of Upholland was appointed high representative for foreign affairs after Tony Blair was rejected as European president. And David Miliband, the Foreign Secretary, decided against opting for the EU foreign job for which he was widely tipped in Brussels.

Some reports have claimed that Brown was urged to forget about the foreign affairs role and instead push for control of the financial one also up for grabs. President Sarkozy of France, which won the portfolio, has said that “the English are the big losers in this business”. Now, Newstatesman.com has learned that Ruth Kelly, a former financial journalist and employee of the Bank of England, was seen by some as a prime candidate for the role. “She was definitely in the running,” a senior figure based at the Foreign Office said.

Whitehall sources have sugested that one reason she was not promoted by London may have been Labour’s fears of a by-election. However, Downing Street sources emphatically deny this, and there is no suggestion that Brown vetoed or even — himself — considered Kelly as a candidate. Instead, Brown pushed for Lady Ashton, who said she was “slightly surprised . . .but deeply privileged”.

Select and enter your email address Your weekly guide to the best writing on ideas, politics, books and culture every Saturday. The best way to sign up for The Saturday Read is via saturdayread.substack.com The New Statesman's quick and essential guide to the news and politics of the day. The best way to sign up for Morning Call is via morningcall.substack.com Our Thursday ideas newsletter, delving into philosophy, criticism, and intellectual history. The best way to sign up for The Salvo is via thesalvo.substack.com Stay up to date with NS events, subscription offers & updates. Weekly analysis of the shift to a new economy from the New Statesman's Spotlight on Policy team. The best way to sign up for The Green Transition is via spotlightonpolicy.substack.com
  • Administration / Office
  • Arts and Culture
  • Board Member
  • Business / Corporate Services
  • Client / Customer Services
  • Communications
  • Construction, Works, Engineering
  • Education, Curriculum and Teaching
  • Environment, Conservation and NRM
  • Facility / Grounds Management and Maintenance
  • Finance Management
  • Health - Medical and Nursing Management
  • HR, Training and Organisational Development
  • Information and Communications Technology
  • Information Services, Statistics, Records, Archives
  • Infrastructure Management - Transport, Utilities
  • Legal Officers and Practitioners
  • Librarians and Library Management
  • Management
  • Marketing
  • OH&S, Risk Management
  • Operations Management
  • Planning, Policy, Strategy
  • Printing, Design, Publishing, Web
  • Projects, Programs and Advisors
  • Property, Assets and Fleet Management
  • Public Relations and Media
  • Purchasing and Procurement
  • Quality Management
  • Science and Technical Research and Development
  • Security and Law Enforcement
  • Service Delivery
  • Sport and Recreation
  • Travel, Accommodation, Tourism
  • Wellbeing, Community / Social Services
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how New Statesman Media Group may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
THANK YOU

Up to now, Ms Kelly’s name has not been associated with the EU jobs.

Seen, perhaps crudely, as a “Blairite”, she served as economic secretary to the Treasury, financial secretary to the Treasury, minister for the Cabinet Office, secretary of state for education and skills, secretary of state for communities and local government and minister for women. She then moved to the transport department when Gordon Brown became Prime Minister in June, before standing down from the cabinet in September 2008.

Ms Kelly’s office was not responding to inquiries this morning.

 

Follow the New Statesman team on Twitter

Content from our partners
The promise of prevention
How Labour hopes to make the UK a leader in green energy
Is now the time to rethink health and care for older people? With Age UK

Select and enter your email address Your weekly guide to the best writing on ideas, politics, books and culture every Saturday. The best way to sign up for The Saturday Read is via saturdayread.substack.com The New Statesman's quick and essential guide to the news and politics of the day. The best way to sign up for Morning Call is via morningcall.substack.com Our Thursday ideas newsletter, delving into philosophy, criticism, and intellectual history. The best way to sign up for The Salvo is via thesalvo.substack.com Stay up to date with NS events, subscription offers & updates. Weekly analysis of the shift to a new economy from the New Statesman's Spotlight on Policy team. The best way to sign up for The Green Transition is via spotlightonpolicy.substack.com
  • Administration / Office
  • Arts and Culture
  • Board Member
  • Business / Corporate Services
  • Client / Customer Services
  • Communications
  • Construction, Works, Engineering
  • Education, Curriculum and Teaching
  • Environment, Conservation and NRM
  • Facility / Grounds Management and Maintenance
  • Finance Management
  • Health - Medical and Nursing Management
  • HR, Training and Organisational Development
  • Information and Communications Technology
  • Information Services, Statistics, Records, Archives
  • Infrastructure Management - Transport, Utilities
  • Legal Officers and Practitioners
  • Librarians and Library Management
  • Management
  • Marketing
  • OH&S, Risk Management
  • Operations Management
  • Planning, Policy, Strategy
  • Printing, Design, Publishing, Web
  • Projects, Programs and Advisors
  • Property, Assets and Fleet Management
  • Public Relations and Media
  • Purchasing and Procurement
  • Quality Management
  • Science and Technical Research and Development
  • Security and Law Enforcement
  • Service Delivery
  • Sport and Recreation
  • Travel, Accommodation, Tourism
  • Wellbeing, Community / Social Services
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how New Statesman Media Group may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
THANK YOU