The New Cabinet - Some Thoughts

After the recent trivia of hats and crocs, something more serious. Gordon Brown's Cabinet no less.

Alistair Darling, Chancellor - its juvenile I know, but I can't take him seriously - the name just reminds me of Captain Darling in Blackadder too much. I think we need someone with a more serious name for such an important role.

Jacqui Smith, Home Secretary - unbelieveably the first time a woman has had this position! (a bit of casual sexism there). Not to be confused with Jaclyn Smith of the original Charlies Angels as has already been discussed at length in our office today.

David Miliband, Foreign Secretary - he should be suited to this, afterall he is MP for South Shields, which is like a foreign country. (I'm allowed to say that as I'm from there, if anyone Southern says it, its a different matter).

Tessa Jowell, Olympics - glad she's gone from Culture and this makes sense since her loyalties quite obviously lay with this to the detriment of the other aspects under the Culture remit. Perhaps her husband could find some extra funding for it from Italy?

James Purnell, Culture - from a work perspective, this is the big one - to the rest of the population it isn't. According to our boss man, this is a good appointment as he is an incredibly bright young man. His biography lists film and theatre amongst his interests and it was written before the appointment (when he was in pensions, where listing tea dances and bingo as hobbies may have been more relevant), so perhaps he might actually have an interest in the area he will representing.

Seriously though, I do have a tiny glimmer of optimism that this time things might be better. Although my 'glass half-empty' side thinks that I'll look back at this post in a year's time, amid scandal, corruption and spin, and wonder what I was thinking.