Gove Comedy Show Returns

News began to emerge during the General Election campaign of just what it was like to work within the Department for Education (DfE) during the tenure of Michael “Oiky” Gove, and that news was not at all flattering. Comparisons were made to The Thick Of It, and with the frankly unhinged Dominic Cummings at large, that comparison is entirely understandable. It was no surprise when Gove was demoted.

“Oiky” became Chief Whip, and in this role he distinguished himself by reinforcing the suspicion that he was totally inept, his “stature” as Great Educational Reformer being mainly a construct of his pals in the right-leaning press - Gove had many years’ service as a loyal Murdoch minion to his, er, credit - and the fawning praise of the Free Schools programme from the likes of the loathsome Toby Young.

So it was no surprise at all when the last-minute attempt by the now departed William ‘Ague to undermine Commons speaker John Bercow backfired, leaving Master ‘Ague and the rest of the Government front bench covered with rather more than confusion. Gove’s general uselessness was only trumped by the occasional late-night Twitter meltdowns coming from wife and columnist Sarah Vine.

Well, Ms Vine will now be having more of those late nights with “Oiky” elsewhere, as news arrives that Young Dave still considers him one of his bestest jolly good chaps, to the extent that the PM has handed him the role of Justice Secretary, in succession to Chris Grayling, who, it has to be conceded, was even less competent. What can possibly go wrong this time? Actually, rather a lot can go wrong.

As the deeply subversive Guardian has noted, “Gove’s return to a government department appears to confirm the prime minister’s trust in him, although it will inevitably dismay many outside of the Conservative party who were enraged by his trenchant views and combative style during his time at the Department for Education”, for which read “swanning around elsewhere while Cummings was behaving extremely badly”.

The article goes on to tell “Gove is seen as a genuine radical unafraid of ruffling feathers by many within the Conservative fold, some of whom will be disappointed that he is not returning to the education department”. Yes, there are some Tories who actually believe all the spin about Gove’s time at education. And the Guardian makes my point on Bercow.

“A failed coup against the speaker of the Commons, John Bercow, which was engineered by Gove in the last days of the last parliament, sealed the perception that his heart was not in the role”. Let us not drive this one round the houses for too long - he was totally bloody useless. Now Gove has been given charge of prisons, sentencing and criminal justice, the scope for more foul-ups has been allowed potentially another five years.

Not that I expect his tenure at Justice to last that long. Meanwhile, those of us who enjoy politics as a spectator sport will have a whole new Gove comedy show to savour.