James Forsyth James Forsyth

The final flourishes have been made to the new government

The chaos in Ukip and the Labour leadership race has allowed Number 10 to quietly finish off the task of constructing a new government without too much attention. The distribution of ministerial posts has gone down as well as can be expected. Enough people have been brought back and rebels brought in to give most MPs hope, which is one of the main purposes of reshuffles.

Today’s appointments are particularly astute. The economist and former Goldman Sachs banker Jim O’Neill becomes a Lord and the Treasury minister in charge of city deals, which should ensure that George Osborne’s northern powerhouse continues to move forward. While George Bridges, a veteran of John Major’s Downing Street who returned to help with this campaign and correctly predicted the number of seats the Tories would win, becomes a peer and a Cabinet Office Minister.

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