So its been announced that BERR and Defra are to merge and Ed Miliband will be the new Environment and Energy Secretary.
I had thought that Peter Ainsworth (Conservative Environment Spokesperson) would be demoted, and that Alan Duncan (Business Spokesperson) was in danger.
I now think they'll both stay where they are, with Jeremy Hunt being the likely occupant of the shadow energy and environment portfolio.
Keeping Duncan and Ainsworth where they are would be effectively demoting them both, especially Ainsworth, who would be rural affairs solely, a policy backwater under the latter years of Labour. Mandelson's position is high profile because of his name but may well be a neutered position. Duncan is a sparky media performer and would be a good counterfoil to Mandelson.
Jeremy Hunt may be a good choice to counter Ed Miliband despite the fact that I think Hunt is currently overrated and Miliband is still underrated.
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