The rotating door of the European minister

Yesterday's (October 12th) internal Foreign office reshuffle which made Chris Bryant (still a Parliamentary Secretary) Europe Minister and (Baroness) Glenys Kinnock (a Minister of State) Africa Minister. This is justified, amongst other things, as finishing the tidying up in ministerial responsibilities from the departure of Lord Malloch-Brown over the Summer.

It's the first time, I think, that the minister with the lead responsibility for Europe has been a mere Parliamentary Secretary. It's traditionally been seern (though its incumbents don't have a particularly good record of being promoted to Cabinet) as the most senior of the Foreign Office ministerial roles; and one of the most senior roles outside of Cabinet. But is now held by someone in the lower ranks of government.

It also underlines the rapidity with which this role has changed hands over the last few years. Under the Tories 18 years in office, there were 7 Europe Ministers - the longest serving being Douglas Hurd who served throughout the first of Thatchers terms from 1979-1983. They ranged from being the decidely Euro-sceptic David Davies and David Heathcote-Amory to the Euro-enthusiastic (some would say fanatical) Tristan Garel-Jones and Lynda Chalker. An average tenure of 2 1/2 years each.

Labour, in contrast, in just 12 years, have clocked up 12 Ministers (counting Geoff Hoon twice, as he had the job twice, though lasted less than 3 months the first time) - one a year.

Is this a result of the Labour government being less stable, more prone to reshuffles, than its predecessor? Well, the top posts have turnover at about the same rate as they have at any time. Europe being less important? You wouldn't get that from the lines the government have taken on Europe, how enthusiastically they have engaged, so that can't be the explanation either.