Best DefSecs since 1960?
Healey was arguably the most capable and bright but was disinterested in the best interests of his Department, so it has to be either Heseltine or Robertson, surely.
I haven't worked with the bloke, but I have been 'fended off' by his press minders at least as often as I've spoken to him, and he doesn't seem to have a grasp of anything but the broadest big picture.
I was fascinated by Impiger's point that:
"The root cause I think is that he is a genuinely nice bloke but he doesn't particularly like the limelight and when reading statements prepared by his civil servants he goes all flat and lifeless. Much rather he had a few points on a fag packet and spoke from the heart."
Certainly when you hear him speaking alongside Jock Stirrup (who exudes high calibre, punchy, inspiring passion and leadership) the contrast is embarrassing. I wondered whether he was a good constituency MP who has been promoted way above his ability, and that seemed to be confirmed when speaking to him face to face. But perhaps he just doesn't do journos?