A cabinet reshuffle is a change in the composition of a government’s top team – the group of 20 MPs with really important jobs who meet about once a week to discuss how to run the country. It can involve promotions and demotions, reassignment of ministerial portfolios to signal policy shifts or reallocate priorities, or the creation of new cabinet posts.
It’s a very common practice in parliamentary systems (as opposed to presidential ones) and it is used as an opportunity to reward high-performing ministers, or to dismiss or demote those who have harmed the government’s public image through scandal or poor performance. Reshuffles are also a way to refresh the top team, bring in new MPs or signal policy shifts between elections.
However, in a political system where cabinet members are drawn from the legislature, frequent reshuffles may undermine the effectiveness of government if they cause voters, backbench MPs and donors to perceive that the machinery of government is constantly changing direction. Excessive ministerial churn can also make it harder for ministers to build up the administrative and policy expertise required to oversee their departments and deliver lasting, well thought through changes.
At this event, we heard from Hilary Armstrong (who served as a chief whip under Tony Blair) and Tim Montgomerie about their experiences of ministerial reshuffles, the role they play in party management and how to judge whether a reshuffle is successful. Hilary suggested that reshuffles are often conducted in response to battles within cabinet, shifts in policy and unfavourable poll ratings.