Mandy is back, Hewitt to Brussels?
Shock news: Peter Mandelson is back in ther UK Cabinet today in Gordon Brown’s reshuffle. So he’ll be resigning as a member of the European Commission. Geoff Hoon is to be Transport Secretary. So who will go to Brussels as European Commissioner? Patricia Hewitt is my bet, as I’ve previously speculated. Hewitt has a majority of 9,070 in Leicester West. Could Labour hold on in a by-election?
[UPDATE]
No, I was completely wrong. They have gone for Baroness Ashton. There is nothing at all on her Wikipedia page, and I have no clue what she’s like. But by nominating a Lord there will be no by-election. I wonder what the EP will think of her? Plus, as has been pointed out in the comments, will she get the Trade portfolio?
I hope that Brown is aware that just as Italy lost JHA as a result of Frattini leaving, and gained Transport, so the UK will lose trade and get something less glamorous. Because if Mandy leaves immediately, it will be a while before a successor is in place and approved by the European Parliament, so Barroso will have to appoint a caretaker and might choose to leave that person in place and give the UK a less prominent position than trade.