One would have thought that even David Cameron could execute a minor cabinet reshuffle without controversy. But seemingly not. After naming Nicky Morgan as the new women’s minister, but denying her the related equalities brief (owing to her opposition to equal marriage), the question arose of who was ultimately responsibility for the portfolio: Morgan or Sajid Javid (the new Culture Secretary and minister for equalities)?
At the post-PMQs briefing, Cameron’s spokesman said: “He is the cabinet minister. She attends cabinet”, a response that suggested that, for the first time ever, the women’s minister would be subordinate to a man. But at this afternoon’s lobby briefing, the spokesman withdrew his earlier remarks (“a mistake”) and announced that Morgan would instead “report directly to the Prime Minister on women’s issues” (not Javid). He added: “She will have an office as Minister for Women supported by DCMS staff. But with regard to her responsibilities for women, she will report to the Prime Minister.” In other words, Morgan’s boss is still a man – just a different man.
Asked who had responsibility for issues relating to gay women, Cameron’s spokesman simply replied that “ministers work as a team”, a response that suggests that Morgan is still best described as “minister for straight women“. And, of course, there is now no full member of the cabinet responsible for women. Even by the standards of this government, quite a mess.
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