[A-List] UK state: New Labour infighting

["Michael Keaney" <michael.keaney@xxxxxx>]

"Dr" John Reid's elevation to Labour Party chairman and Charles Clarke's
elevation to Education secretary strengthens Blair's grip on the government
with respect to his rivalry with Brown. And Brown's hegemony within the
Scottish Labour Party is further compromised by the activist role promised
by Reid, who has done his damnedest ever since becoming Secretary of State
for Scotland to clip the wings of the Scottish Executive whilst engineering
(at least in part) the downfall of Brown ally Henry McLeish. I had never
thought of Reid as an "intellectual", however, although the constant
reference to his doctorate probably accounts for that affectation.


Host of problems face new chairman
MICHAEL SETTLE
The Herald, 25 October 2002

JOHN Reid has sometimes spoken of how his ministerial career owes much of
its course to being "in the right place at the right time".

However, it is known that there are few politicians Tony Blair trusts more
than the canny, hard-headed MP from Hamilton North and Bellshill.

Very often, Dr Reid is seen on television or heard on the radio defending or
promoting the government line in times of pressure. In his new cabinet role
as party chairman, it will become his primary task.

Dr Reid admitted changing roles was not an easy decision.

"When I was asked to take Northern Ireland in the first place I can tell you
it took about two minutes," he said. "This did not take two minutes; it took
a lot of discussion."

With Ulster once again facing crisis, Dr Reid in his new incarnation will
swop one set of problems for another as Labour is also experiencing some
difficult times.

Dr Reid faces sorting out a huge party debt and falling membership. The
troops on the back benches are uneasy over a possible war with Iraq and will
doubtless get uneasier if the prime minister decides conflict is
unavoidable, particularly if troops are sent in without a UN mandate.

In Scottish terms, Dr Reid, unlike his predecessor Charles Clarke, is
expected to become engaged in the Holyrood elections next May. The
Lanarkshire-born politician is also likely to get involved in smoothing over
any after-effects from the current constituency funds controversy.

On a personal level 2002 has been a big year for the 55-year-old politician,
as in March he married his Brazilian-born fiancee Carine Adler at a private
ceremony in London.

His move to the chairmanship is his fifth since Labour took power having
progressed from being the armed forces minister, minister for transport,
Scottish secretary and Northern Ireland secretary.

Viewed by many of his colleagues as one of the more colourful characters in
politics, Dr Reid has a public image of a bruiser. Yet he is also regarded
as one of the cabinet's more intellectual figures.