THE LOGISTICS OF MINISTERIAL RESHUFFLES

In: Public administration: an international journal, Band 70, Heft 4, S. 519-534

Abstract

Ministerial reshuffles are complex exercises requiring careful handling. A frequent occurrence in British government, their significance is usually seen in political terms. Prime Ministers attach great importance to maximizing the political advantages to be gained from them. This factor is the chief determinant of their logistics, the principal characteristics of which are secrecy in advance and the speed with which ministerial changes are executed. These features ‐ as much as the frequency of ministerial changes per se ‐ may disrupt the policy process and have serious implications for minister‐civil servant power relations. Such problems could be alleviated by giving ministers advance notice of changes of post. The institution of a process of ministerial handovers would strengthen the position of incoming ministers by making them less dependent on their officials, upon whom they rely heavily for initial briefing at present.