As reshuffles go, it was more akin to rearranging the deckchairs on the Titanic than the night of the long knives.
Keir Starmer has appointed new bosses at no fewer than 10 departments as he tries to reset his government again after a dismal first year. But only one is new to the Cabinet – there is precious little in the way of new blood, just a hope that Sir Keir’s allies will collectively do a bit better in their new jobs than they did in their old ones.
The scale of the shake-up was triggered by the dramatic resignation of Angela Rayner and a desire in parts of No 10 to chisel Yvette Cooper out of the Home Office with dignity in the hope that tough-talking Shabana Mahmood can do a better job of stopping the boats.
But it also reflects a fear of sending powerful enemies to the backbenches. Much easier to find a new role for misfiring ministers than bite the bullet and remove those failing to make an impact.
The PM is right to be worried, because politics is about to get much tougher for him.
