The latest twist in the running battle over getting ‘Legislative Consent Motions’ sees the Territorial Offices overruled.
His appointments to the Territorial Offices are a mixed bag: Cairns is a welcome retention, Jack a bold but possibly risky change, and Smith another letdown for Ulster.
He fills the roles vacated by Nigel Adams, and rounds out Theresa May’s latest bid to fill out at least the higher ranks of her Government.
Also: Grieve says Irish Sea border is ‘completely unacceptable’; Sturgeon reshuffles Cabinet as SNP delay flagship education bill.
It is hard to appoint more women to Cabinet when there are few senior women to promote. We count only four at Minister of State level.
The focus on leaving the EU needs to be balanced by a powerful new Department for Growth, with a mandate to devolve power and drive up regional prosperity.
Also: Brexit battle spreads to Ulster; UKIP hold out hope of Scottish Parliament success; Jones challenges Crabb on the Wales Bill; and more.
The Institute for Government’s new guide reminds us that the Conservative-Liberal Democrat partnership helped to improve Britain for the better.
They should have to show that changes to the civil service’s departmental structures serve the public interest rather than party political or personnel management goals.
If you like laws or sausages you shouldn’t watch either being made. Neither is the anatomy of the Cardiff Bay malfunction pretty.