May’s Cabinet tinkering

After a week of political interest (which is set to continue), prime minister Theresa May has announced her Cabinet appointments.

Normally, a reshuffle could be considered an opportunity for a prime minister to assert their authority by appointing ministers that reflect changing policies or revised priorities. Rather than a reshuffle, Mrs May’s June 2017 Cabinet is more a tinkering rather than anything dramatic.

I am not a political commentator, nor do I aspire to be. However, I would make some comments from a payroll/reward perspective on those that are worthy of a comment:

Damien Green

Moves from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to take up a role similar to that of a deputy prime minister.

Philip Hammond

Remains in his role controlling fiscal and monetary policy and will be the face presenting the Autumn Budget and Spring Statement.

James Brokenshire

Mr Brokenshire stays in the post of Northern Ireland Secretary, a role that will become interesting as he has to restore devolution to the North while ensuring he remains impartial as a member of the UK government. This will prove difficult if Mrs May does go into some form of working arrangement with the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) – one of the parties that will make up the power-sharing Executive.

David Gauke

Another promotion for Mr Gauke sees him come out of the Treasury and into the role vacated by Damien Green at the DWP. I wonder if his time at the Treasury (dealing with RTI) will impact his work at the DWP (where Universal Credit is dependent on RTI information).

Elizabeth Truss

She moves from Justice Secretary to the Treasury as chief secretary – Mr Hammond’s right-hand lady. However, it is the financial secretary to the Treasury (FST), previously Jane Ellison, who will have most impact on the payroll and reward professions, so look out for this announcement.

Gavin Williamson

Remains in post as parliamentary secretary to the Treasury, though there are no formal links with the Treasury in this role.

Brandon Lewis

Previously minister of state for policing and the fire service at the Home Office, this role now seems to include immigration with the changed remit that he will attend Cabinet meetings.

UK professionals really need to have their eyes on every department and every announcement in the coming days of what proves to be an interesting period!