Today, Margaret Hodge returned to the government in the same position she left it on October 3rd 2008 (Minister of State at Culture) and Barbara Follett (the Parliamentary Secretary who'd held the Arts portfolio for the previous year) filled the Parliamentary Secretary post at Communities, vacated by Sarah McCarthy-Fry in June.
It's unusual in that:
Hodge's departure and then return to precisely the same post is more akin to the compassionate leave you'd get in a more normal job than any other standing down from government for personal reasons I can think of. Normally, the best a minister would hope for is to return at the next available normal reshuffle to the same rank.
It appears to be at a time of Hodge's choosing. There's no other reason to hold this mini shuffle now (the vacated post having been vacant for over 3 months, no other posts involved, no imminent public policy statements requiring a new minister etc).
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