Travelling back to the constituency on the morning train, I hear the news that Jack Straw has announced his retirement from the shadow cabinet. He has had, he says, ”a good innings”.
Jack Straw’s departure is a huge loss to a Labour party in disarray after the election defeat. He was the ultimate steady hand steady hand at the tiller: a man who could be trusted to make a decent fist of whatever office he was given.
I first met Jack Straw shortly after my election in 2005. As Foreign Secretary, he hosted a seminar for newly-elected Members at the FCO. He was courteous and good-humoured, and I took to him immediately. It set the pattern for every encounter I had with him on the floor of the House; he was never anything other than a gentleman, never less than scrupulously polite, no matter how hard the questioning
Jack Straw is a politician of the old school. He plays the game fairly with friend and foe alike. Would that there were more of his kind.
You see, this is what differentiates you, I feel, from some of your more, how to put it, tribal, colleagues. You’re not afraid to acknowledge the qualities of your political opponents where you find them.
Plenty of tribal feelings in Labour too, I know.
But this is what makes me take note of what you say and recommend your blog to others.
Hear, hear, Jack was a class act and will be hard to replace in Cabinet.
Ah, sorry, Shadow Cabinet that should have said – wishful thinking.
Off topic, as you haven’t yet blogged it, but congratulations on Welsh Office minister job.
As I predicted on the blog, thus shoring up my shaky credentials as a political pundit.
Congratulations on new job.
How soon before Jack Straw is elevated to the Lords?
Pingback: Not Jack’s style « David Jones, MP