Blairites defend new judicial reforms
Blairite loyalists came out Sunday to defend last week’s cabinet reshuffle and the ‘radical’ constitutional changes to the ancient judicial role of the Lord Chancellor.
With the creation of the Department of Constitutional Affairs, the 1,400 years old Lord Chancellor’s department will go, as will the newly formed Welsh and Scottish Offices, or at least their previous incarnation.
Some say that confusion reigns as a result, as it now appears that the Leader of the Commons Peter Hain and Transport Secretary Alistair Darling will effectively retain the additional titles of Welsh and Scottish Secretary, respectively, answering questions on Scottish and Welsh affairs in the Commons.
On BBC’s Breakfast With Frost, the new Constitutional Affairs Secretary Lord Falconer, the man with the media breathing down his neck, defended the seemingly confused roles:
‘You can make it sound fraught with difficulties, but it was something that very many people were calling for and it’s a sensible reflection of the devolution settlement.
‘There is still a Scottish Office, the officials work in my department, but politically those offices are led by Peter and Alistair, there is still a very strong voice in the cabinet for Scotland and Wales.’
He defended the reforms and rejected claims that the changes were shambolic.
On Sky News’ programme ‘Sunday With Adam Boulton’, the peer admitted he did not know that one of his roles of the Lord Chancellor’s office, until it is phased out, was Keeper of the Queen’s Conscience.
‘Is that one of the jobs in the Lord Chancellor’s (role)?
‘I am performing all of the functions of the Lord Chancellor. Until you told me (that was one of his roles) I didn’t, no.
He added later: ‘It wasn’t and isn’t a cock-up. Lots of planning had been done but I hadn’t been involved in it.’
Peter Hain MP pooh-poohed the criticism as the effect of yet another ephemeral ‘media frenzy.’
‘The big picture is a sensible, radical constitutional reform that modernises Britain’s antiquated system of government.’
Also, speaking yesterday, the First Ministers of Scotland and Wales, Jack McConnell and Rhodri Morgan, affirmed the Cabinet reshuffle despite the lingering question mark over the future of the Welsh and Scottish Offices.
Mr. McConnell said: ‘I think this is a vote of confidence in devolution. I am very relaxed about it. This is a natural progression here moving on into a second term of Parliament in Scotland and the Assembly in Wales.
‘I do not think anybody should object to the streamlining of Government and civil servants as is being proposed here. I think it is a good thing for the devolved Parliament and Assembly because it gives us a chance to go on and flourish in the years ahead.’
Mr. Morgan, for his part, said ‘I do not think anybody thinks that the posts of Secretary of State for Wales and Scotland, as they were before 1999, could go on exactly as before once you had the Scottish Parliament and the Welsh Assembly.’
‘What we had all expected was that the two jobs would be merged, preferably with Northern Ireland as well if the peace process had bedded in.’
