If ever there was a poisoned chalice in politics, it must be the office of Secretary of State for Home Affairs. Traditionally one of the three great offices of state below that of Prime Minister, the role of Home Secretary has been a nail in the political coffins of successive Ministers. Over the last few years, Jack Straw, David Blunkett and Charles Clarke have all held the office and have all experienced turbulent times during their tenure.
John Reid is the latest senior Minister to feel the particular pain that the office of Home Secretary can inflict upon its holder.
Last week was, by any standards, an appallingly bad time for Dr Reid. On Tuesday, he told judges that, because the prisons were, in Tony Blair’s phrase, “full to bursting point”, they should be wary of sentencing criminals to custody.
Within 24 hours, in Mold Crown Court, Judge John Rogers QC announced that he would not be sentencing a Blaenau Ffestinog man to imprisonment for downloading indecent pictures of children because of, among other things, Dr Reid’s direction. A day later, another judge announced that he would not send a convicted paedophile to prison pending sentence, again because of the Home Office direction.
Naturally enough, these decisions have caused outrage. People cannot accept that sentences should be tailored to the availability of prison places. Reasonably enough, they wonder why sufficient prison places have not already been provided.
The political damage to John Reid is such that he will probably not now challenge Gordon Brown for the leadership of the Labour Party. It may even cost him his job, although he may be saved by the simple fact that it would be very difficult to find another senior Minister who would be willing to take on the role.
When Dr Reid arrived at the Home Office last year, he pronounced it dysfunctional and not fit for purpose. The events of subsequent months have shown how accurate that assessment was. Clearly, there are such huge problems within the Home Office that fundamental structural changes are called for.
Dr Reid has, apparently, called for the Department to be split in two. Certainly, it is far too big in its present form to carry out its functions efficiently. It remains to be seen whether Dr Reid’s proposals, when they are announced, will have the effect of stopping the rot. Given recent experiences, it would perhaps be optimistic to expect too much.
John Reid is the latest senior Minister to feel the particular pain that the office of Home Secretary can inflict upon its holder.
Last week was, by any standards, an appallingly bad time for Dr Reid. On Tuesday, he told judges that, because the prisons were, in Tony Blair’s phrase, “full to bursting point”, they should be wary of sentencing criminals to custody.
Within 24 hours, in Mold Crown Court, Judge John Rogers QC announced that he would not be sentencing a Blaenau Ffestinog man to imprisonment for downloading indecent pictures of children because of, among other things, Dr Reid’s direction. A day later, another judge announced that he would not send a convicted paedophile to prison pending sentence, again because of the Home Office direction.
Naturally enough, these decisions have caused outrage. People cannot accept that sentences should be tailored to the availability of prison places. Reasonably enough, they wonder why sufficient prison places have not already been provided.
The political damage to John Reid is such that he will probably not now challenge Gordon Brown for the leadership of the Labour Party. It may even cost him his job, although he may be saved by the simple fact that it would be very difficult to find another senior Minister who would be willing to take on the role.
When Dr Reid arrived at the Home Office last year, he pronounced it dysfunctional and not fit for purpose. The events of subsequent months have shown how accurate that assessment was. Clearly, there are such huge problems within the Home Office that fundamental structural changes are called for.
Dr Reid has, apparently, called for the Department to be split in two. Certainly, it is far too big in its present form to carry out its functions efficiently. It remains to be seen whether Dr Reid’s proposals, when they are announced, will have the effect of stopping the rot. Given recent experiences, it would perhaps be optimistic to expect too much.
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