Media Monday: the Cabinet reshuffle

The big story of the week has been of course Gordon Brown’s Cabinet reshuffle.  A classic AS question asks what factors a PM considers when appointing their Cabinet.  In our Media Monday sessions we have been examining which appointments fit into the respective traditional explanations

It is said that PMs look to reward ability – the “safe pair of hands” idea.  Alternatively a PM may choose loyal supporters, i.e. Brownites.  Lastly they may look for balance.  So here we are referring to Blairites.

Look through the details of the reshuffle and try to find an example in support of each point.

See the BBC details that follow.

The Cabinet line-up

And the Who’s who

Unit 2 PM/Cab examples [10 May 2011]
No, Prime Minister: a new road map for government [17 Dec 2010]
What does Cabinet do? [1 Nov 2010]
Power in the central executive territory [16 Oct 2010]
How Conservative Members Rate Coalition Cabinet Ministers [12 Sep 2010]
Full Cabinet graphic [18 May 2010]
Gordon Brown’s Reputation in History [15 May 2010]
Brown’s inner circle - AS exam update [6 Apr 2010]
Brown in Power – What the Rawnsley Revelations Tell Us About the Office of Prime Minister [21 Feb 2010]
Prime Ministerial Power: PMs behaving badly? [21 Feb 2010]
Cabinet government is dead say officials [25 Aug 2009]
Cabinet unshuffle [17 Aug 2009]
It’s the economy, stupid! [1 Jul 2009]
US revision: American Cabinet [4 Jun 2009]
AS last minute updates [2 Jun 2009]
AS revision: PM power [30 May 2009]
AS revision: MPs’ expenses [20 May 2009]
What does a spad do? [16 Apr 2009]
Rawnsley again [15 Mar 2009]
Brown and the first PM [23 Feb 2009]
Advice and consent [3 Feb 2009]
An hour is a long time in politics [12 Oct 2008]
McRae on how Brown blew it [24 Sep 2008]
Wipeout! [21 Sep 2008]
Just another Media Monday [7 Sep 2008]
Brown to reshuffle the pack? [16 Aug 2008]
Gordo’s premiership: whatever happened to the clunking fist? [12 Apr 2008]
Brown eggs: pick of the papers [23 Mar 2008]
Brown examples [22 Mar 2008]
Brown’s revolting problem [1 Mar 2008]