(es, Minister Marsham Street
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HE Cabinet reshuffle this week once again includes a change at the Department of ransport. After a brief spell as Transport Secretary, Tom King has been "promoted" to mployment. Continuity at Marsham Street has once again been broken.
There are puzzling aspects over the promotions, if promotions they be. Mr King will be :ceiving no additional salary in his new post. In these circumstances, change rather ian promotion would seem to be the appropriate term.
This raises the question: why make three changes when two would do? Is the overnment so short of talent that there was no option open to the Prime Minister other ian moving Tom King and bringing in yet another new man?
Lynda Chalker must be wondering, as we are, where she has gone wrong. Having ?.rved under David Howell and Tom King with energy and enthusiasm she no doubt arboured the hope that one day she would receive a genuine promotion to the ecretarial chair.
In the interest of continuity this would appear to have been a more logical move. Mrs halker knows her way around the industry and by all accounts is not an unambitious arson. Surely her experience at the Department of Transport, short as it may be, makes era more likely candidate for the top post than the new incumbent, Nicholas Ridley. The change gives the added note of authenticity the theme of BBC l's Yes Minister — that it is e civil service which runs departments, )t ministers.