It was like he'd never really been away.
New Welsh Secretary (again) Paul Murphy eased in behind his desk at Whitehall, admitting his return to the Cabinet was a 'bolt from the blue'.
He told how he took a phone call from the prime minister around 4pm, after spending the day chairing the Commons intelligence and security committee.
"I certainly didn't think as I left my flat in the morning that I would be returning home in a ministerial car," he said.
A half-day can seem a long time in politics.
Mr Murphy, who was Welsh Secretary from 1999 to 2002 before becoming Northern Ireland Secretary till 2005, was brought back by Gordon Brown to fill one of the gaps left by the resigning Peter Hain.
But he 'hoped' his colleague could return to frontline politics after beng cleared by the police over failure to declare £103,000 in donations to his deputy leadership campaign.
"I don't think his political career is in anyway over.
"He's a talented man who's done a great number of good things for the people of Wales.
"In Northern Ireland he brought the peace process to a successful conclusionand people ought to remember that in the bad times as well as the good times."
Oh, and 'yes' he was going to be paid for his cabinet post despite rumours it could be an unpaid job, because the prime minister had used up all his salaried positions.
"They haven't told me I'm not going to be paid," he said.
More on this story here.
Penyberth wrote...
So Gordon Brown brings back his Unionist Old Guard...we thought they were past their sell by date but since when does GB appoint ministers on the basis of ability (look at Jacqui Smith). It will be interesting to observe the relationship between Murphy and the Welsh Assembly Government...I'm sure you'll keep us updated.
Posted by: Penyberth | January 25, 2008 6:27 PM