New Defence Secretary -Reshuffle
 

Sky News reporting that John Reid now Home Secretary. No word on new Def Sec yet.

S41

That was my first thought too! Really hope it's someone good ...

Sadly I doubt it.........

What, you mean someone we've never heard of?

New Def Sec
 

Is to be Des Browne (with an "e"), uintil today Chief Secretary to the Treasury - Gordon's number two.

S41

Well, there's always the ex-Home Secretary, of course.

Any chance of someone with a military background, other than watching Band of Brothers of course.:rolleyes:

Labour Reshuffle
 

This from the BBC News, who will be the next defence sec???

At least we've got rid of that w:mad: r Reid! :ok:

Not sure there's any Liabour MPs with an ex-mil background? Tories have a few inc. Andrew Robathan, ex Guards and 22, and Adam Holloway, also ex Guards and 22. Holloway might be one to watch if Dave gets into #10.

Des Browne will now have the delights of trying to operate within the financial constraints that he's been responsible for imposing on Defence for the last 12 months...

The Tory party has two ex Guards Officers. Oh super, horses all round then.

Yes we may hav but I am sure another useless odious creature will be along soon to continue where Arch spinster Reid has left off!

You are cruel! IMHO John Reid was one of the best we've had for a long time (not difficult you may well say). He had the background as Min AF, which was when I was last in Whitehall and he seemed good then. More importantly in some ways, he had been "shadow" for a long time prior to '77 and had not a bad depth of knowledge already.

Better the devil you know ...... and stand by for photo-opportunity (sorry, I mean fact-finding) visits to outposts various ... just what the troops need I guess......:rolleyes:

They are also ex-them members too but they probably don't like to talk about it.;)

Some interesting posts on the BBC's message page:
http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thre...20060505121527
I must admit, I find it hard to disagree with most of the comments made...

Helpful Stacker
 

Were they the technical advisers on Ultimate Force?:E

No I believe that was Mr Mitty, ex-THEM instructor in underwater knife fighting.

Notwithstanding the statistical probability that he is a t*sser in view of the company he keeps, I'm not actually sure what Reid did while DefSec. So much as it would be fashionable to criticise him now he's off, I can't.

Either way Browne with an e is hardly going to waltz in and get the budget we need to do the job. Note: I don't mean to refurbish Whitehall offices and buy senior officers new cars either - I mean buy the kit for the military task at hand. A330s would be a good start.

Surely underwater knife fighting is more the remit of the lads from Dorset? :suspect: