Grayling and the SoS for Transport role.

[EM2]

Jo Johnson in at Transport (and as Minister for London).

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Jo Johnson in at Transport (and as Minister for London).

Replaces John Hayes on roads/maritime, and doesn't appear to have any role in rail.
Paul Maynard remains rail minister (except London), but is junior to Johnson as well as Grayling.

 

[pemma]

Justine Greening education secretary has just resigned after refusing work and pensions

While I was critical of Ms Greening yesterday, given who's just been given that role I'm now disappointed Greening didn't take it.

 

[mpthomson]

When they say 'BBC News understands' and 'we're awaiting official confirmation' it means the BBC are admitting the source(s) that told are not from official representatives of the Conservative Party and they are awaiting something official from the Conservative Party.



Given journalists probably had the Twitter feed open and were awaiting tweets to appear that's enough time to be seen by journalists. I'm aware if you have a Twitter feed open it automatically loads any new Tweets but I'm pretty sure it doesn't automatically removes any deleted Tweets so it was probably showing in journalist's Twitter feeds for much longer than 27 seconds. I've tried to reply to Tweets before to only find once I've finished writing a response that the Tweet has been deleted.

On this occasion it actually meant 'we've jumped the gun and what we're about to tell you is a un-substantiated rumour'. Mistakes or overstatements happen, particularly in rolling news coverage where the news provider feels the need to ramp up the tension when nothing is actually going on, and especially when this mini reshuffle has been as hyped as it has been in the press. No-one (other than the PM and one or two aides) really knew who would be moving or not and all the guesses have been just that, guesses. As with many things politics forecast related recently the BBC, and others, got a lot of this wrong. If the CCHQ wonk hadn't tweeted in error this wouldn't even be a story.

Two ministers who refused to move have been named, neither is Grayling.

 

[WatcherZero]

Times today says they had two Downing Street sources who told them Grayling as party chief has been one of two candidates for the job for a fortnight and that Grayling was the agreed pick when May went to bed the night before.

CCHQ also didn't correct the incorrect appointment for an hour. Theres another fascinating account of the Person who was to be given Jeremy Hunts job kept sitting waiting for three hours while Hunt had the two hour argument with May and then was offered the Business job Hunt was supposed to get.

 

[EM2]

Paul Maynard remains rail minister (except London).

Apparently not, hence why Johnson was at Nottingham today.
https://www.parliament.uk/biographies/commons/paul-maynard/3926

 

[Olaf]

They didn’t, it was a rumour that someone confirmed as a fact without actually knowing. The BBC ‘confirmed’ incorrectly and without any knowledge. A CCHQ staff chap assumed this was correct and tweeted it when it wasn’t. The wonks in CCHQ won’t know any detail until it’s confirmed, just like the rest of us. The detail as to how and why is on the Guido Fawkes website, but fundamentally he was never offered the Chairman’s role.

It is also the perfect way to expose leakers.

 

[edwin_m]

No-one (other than the PM and one or two aides) really knew who would be moving or not and all the guesses have been just that, guesses.

the Person who was to be given Jeremy Hunts job kept sitting waiting for three hours while Hunt had the two hour argument with May and then was offered the Business job Hunt was supposed to get.

Seems the PM didn't know who would be moving either...

 

[hwl]

Apparently not, hence why Johnson was at Nottingham today.
https://www.parliament.uk/biographies/commons/paul-maynard/3926

Of the 4 previous Ministers, Jesse Norman remains with his previous job description including Roads, Local Transport and Devolution, Baroness Sugg remains but will get a new portfolio.
The 2 new comers are Jo Johnson (Orpington) and Nus Ghani (Wealden aka "Uckfield"). As JJ lives round the corner from the Euston HS2 works which he was previously made comments on he won't be able to take on an HS2 role involving London hence there can't be a direct swap of job descriptions from an old Minister to the next and similarly Nus will have to steer clear of campaigning for Uckfield-Lewes reopening in the future...

 

[philthetube]

every tine I see this thread I think SOS is appropriate.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Of the 4 previous Ministers, Jesse Norman remains with his previous job description including Roads, Local Transport and Devolution, Baroness Sugg remains but will get a new portfolio.
The 2 new comers are Jo Johnson (Orpington) and Nus Ghani (Wealden aka "Uckfield"). As JJ lives round the corner from the Euston HS2 works which he was previously made comments on he won't be able to take on an HS2 role involving London hence there can't be a direct swap of job descriptions from an old Minister to the next and similarly Nus will have to steer clear of campaigning for Uckfield-Lewes reopening in the future...

Moving Paul Maynard to the Treasury Whip role must have been a late change, with Jo Johnson seemingly taking his rail portfolio as well as London.
DfT's departmental org chart doesn't reflect any of the changes since the reshuffle.
For what it's worth, Jo Johnson is senior in the ministerial packing order and is effectively Chris Grayling's deputy.
Paul Maynard was informed and interested in rail, with time on the Transport Select Committee.
I've no idea what Jo Johnson's views on rail are, but you'd imagine they are pretty close to Grayling's.
Unlike his brother Boris, he was a Remainer.

 

[Jordeh]

He's already upset South Wales, South Yorkshire and East Midlands by cancelling promised electrification schemes. Everybody including commuters from Tory voting areas with this years fare increases.

It's overly simplistic and above all not fair to attribute those issues directly to Chris Grayling.

Indeed, and therefore absolutely no good to a Tory government.

Yet the leader of the opposition, shadow chancellor, shadow home sec and shadow foreign sec all have constituencies in London! The Cabinet isn't representative of the whole UK but the shadow cabinet is ridiculously London centric.

Apparently not, hence why Johnson was at Nottingham today.
https://www.parliament.uk/biographies/commons/paul-maynard/3926

It's a shame about Paul Maynard as he always seemed pretty good (thus his promotion) but hopefully Jo Johnson will be decent too, he certainly seems to be going places.

 

[edwin_m]

It's overly simplistic and above all not fair to attribute those issues directly to Chris Grayling.

Grayling would have had the final word on the decision and also on such details as cancelling the electrification schemes completely rather than just postponing them indefinitely. I think that is what has riled people. The reversal of policy on devolution to London also seemed to arise from a change in the holder of the SoS post rather than any fundamental change in the facts.

 

[pemma]

Nusrat Ghani has also appeared on the list of junior ministers for the Department of Transport. No-one currently has rail listed under their responsibilities.

 

[Jordeh]

Grayling would have had the final word on the decision and also on such details as cancelling the electrification schemes completely rather than just postponing them indefinitely. I think that is what has riled people. The reversal of policy on devolution to London also seemed to arise from a change in the holder of the SoS post rather than any fundamental change in the facts.

Does it make much difference though whether they're postponed indefinitely or not? Realistically they cannot happen in the next few parliaments and (sadly) there is nothing he can do about that.

In regards to your point about his reversal of policy on devolution to London - I don't dispute that.

 

[hwl]

Nusrat Ghani has also appeared on the list of junior ministers for the Department of Transport. No-one currently has rail listed under their responsibilities.

See my post #99, 5 above yours for the reasons. Nusrat normally uses Nus rather than her full first name.

 

[markyl]

He was for rail devolution ...

https://www.jo-johnson.com/news/jo-welcomes-new-rail-proposals-south-east

Thursday, 21 January, 2016
Jo has welcomed proposals for a new era of rail travel for London and the South East, launched today by the Secretary of State for Transport and the Mayor of London, which offer a future with better, more regular and more reliable train services.

The proposals would see the transfer of rail services that operate mostly or wholly within the Greater London boundary to TfL when the current franchises are due for renewal. Southeastern’s franchise is due for renewal in mid-2018.

 

[Domh245]

He was for rail devolution ...

https://www.jo-johnson.com/news/jo-welcomes-new-rail-proposals-south-east

Thursday, 21 January, 2016
Jo has welcomed proposals for a new era of rail travel for London and the South East, launched today by the Secretary of State for Transport and the Mayor of London, which offer a future with better, more regular and more reliable train services.

The proposals would see the transfer of rail services that operate mostly or wholly within the Greater London boundary to TfL when the current franchises are due for renewal. Southeastern’s franchise is due for renewal in mid-2018.

Of course, that was when his brother (but more importantly, someone with a blue rosette) occupied City Hall. I dare say his views have changed since, seeing as the man in City Hall now has a Red Rosette.

 

[edwin_m]

Does it make much difference though whether they're postponed indefinitely or not? Realistically they cannot happen in the next few parliaments and (sadly) there is nothing he can do about that.

In practice very little difference, but in terms of the politics quite a bit (which is why I think that part was a political decision, and a bad one at that). A postponement keeps open the intention to do this work eventually while acknowledging that costs are too high to do it currently. The regions concerned can't really disagree that the costs are too high but it comes over as a kick in the teeth to say effectively that this work will never be done. It also means the industry has no incentive to maintain an electrification capability beyond what is already committed, unless the government announces more electrifications before these are finished (which seems most unlikely).

 

[Olaf]

Current organisation chart:
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploa...t_data/file/674817/dft-organisation-chart.pdf

The specific remits for each of the Ministers have not yet been announced.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

To round out the DfT responsibilities:
Jo Johnson is Minister of State and has London and Rail (includes smart ticketing, devolution and Northern Powerhouse, but excludes light rail and HS2)
The junior ministers are:
Nusrat Ghani has HS2, transport accessibility and maritime
Baroness Sugg has aviation and transport security
Jesse Norman has roads and light rail

None of them has experience in transport or on the transport select committee.
Jo Johnson has rail industrial relations in his portfolio.
Job descriptions and profiles are at the bottom of this: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-transport

 

[pemma]

Interesting Jo Johnson has both London and Northern Powerhouse on his brief!

 

[Domh245]

Grayling is currently speaking in Parliament, I've missed the starting part, but he has just announced a direct award to VTWC to see over the gap between the current end of franchise and the start of WCMLPartnership

Watch here

http://www.parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/30a60dc6-2a46-4aef-a5d0-1b6203b80399

 

[Domh245]

Summary of his whole address:

VTEC can only soldier on for a few more months, and so both a not-for-profit Direct Award, or a return to operator of last resort are being considered to see the line through to the first partnership award.

Legally, he can't prevent Stagecoach from bidding for other franchises, but he is considering this whole debacle a "stark warning" to companies tempted to overbid.

VTWC have been awarded the direct award as noted above

East Midlands franchise award is moving towards it's next step, and there are 4 bidders shortlisted: Arriva, First/Trenitalia, Stagecoach, and (newly) Abellio

 

[plcd1]

Interesting watching questions to Grayling on a range of rail issues. My two main conclusions are

1. Many MPs really, really do not understand how railways work. Hardly a revelation I know but it does mean their questions are very poor and lack focus (even allowing for time constraints in the session).

2. Grayling just spouts a load of drivel and borderline lies and gets away with it. I got really fed up with his harking back to British Rail as if there hasn't been a single instance of failure on the privatised railway. Again not exactly news but it's really very bad for democracy.

I know MPs are very busy people but it's a shame some more of them can't build up their understanding of transport matters to make life difficult for whatever government is in power.

 

[ainsworth74]

Just a reminder that people should use the appropriate threads to discuss the announcements regarding VT East and West Coasts.

Thanks,
ainsworth74

 

[pemma]

1. Many MPs really, really do not understand how railways work. Hardly a revelation I know but it does mean their questions are very poor and lack focus (even allowing for time constraints in the session).

.

Indeed. The worse ones are the ones with a little knowledge. Graham Brady today said all Northern Pacers will be withdrawn this year and they'll be brand new trains running through Altrincham by Christmas.

 

[backontrack]

East Midlands franchise award is moving towards it's next step, and there are 4 bidders shortlisted: Arriva, First/Trenitalia, Stagecoach, and (newly) Abellio

Wait, Trenitalia are getting involved?

 

[Domh245]

Wait, Trenitalia are getting involved?

Yeah, the First/Trenitalia partnership has been know for just over a year now. They're also joint bidding for the WCP

 

[pemma]

Trenitalia took over National Express' rail division.