What does Norman Baker’s exit from the Home Office tell us about the coalition? In many ways, the situation in that department was quite unlike any other, but if another Lib Dem does fancy going in a blaze of fury, then Justice Minister Simon Hughes was assigned to his department for similar trouble-making reasons, and apparently ranks second in the great league table of problematic coalition relationships. But Norman Baker was sent in to antagonise a Home Secretary notorious for micromanaging ministers from her own party, let alone those from another. As Damian Green pointed out on the Today programme, Baker had told his local paper he was the ‘Lib Dem Home Secretary’ and had acted accordingly once installed in the department.
Green was deliciously biting about Baker in his interview, saying in a polite and kindly tone that ‘he was a guitarist who was only interested in his own solos while the rest of the band was trying to play a close harmony number’. But this was all part of Nick Clegg’s plan: to make the disagreements of coalition more obvious by sending in troublesome junior ministers who couldn’t help but annoy their Secretaries of State. That the leader of a party which wants to show Coalition works has adopted such an aggressive strategy is intriguing. That he described Baker as ‘brilliant’ once the man had resigned is more intriguing still.
What is a minister supposed to do? Is he or she supposed to do what most Lib Dems manage, and what Baker did appear to manage at Transport and just get on with the job, or take a more public role than many Conservative ministers of equivalent rank and mouth off about their Coalition colleague in public? Clegg clearly thinks the latter, at least for the next few months. If the Lib Dems are involved in another coalition after the general election, it will be interesting to see whether Clegg switches back to a more consensual model of governing.
It is particularly important for the Lib Dems to have these sorts of fights in the Home Office, though, because their own polling suggests that bickering with Theresa May helps attract Green-leaning Lib Dems who dislike authoritarianism. This particularly applies to legislation such as the Communications Data Bill, but drugs policy, which was the last area Baker worked on before his departure, is another important issue for those voters.
But this resignation also reminds us of Theresa May’s fearsome abilities as a micromanager. The Lib Dems are trying to portray her behaviour as anti-coalition, when in fact it is simply her way of operating with all those under her. In the Home Office, where she manages to emerge unscathed even from big rows, that sort of cautious nitpicking is probably quite handy as it stops stomaching blowing up without senior ministers noticing. But there is a question about whether May would be able to let go sufficiently if she did become Tory leader. You can just about micromanage one department, even if it infuriates your juniors, but it is impossible to micromanage the whole of Whitehall.
Letter from Norman Baker to Nick Clegg
Dear Nick,
I am writing to confirm my request, which I first raised with you in August, to take a break from ministerial office when a convenient moment arises. I understand this is likely to be next week.
You will know that I have spent four and a half years in ministerial office, three and a half at the Department for Transport and the last year at the Home Office. I have enjoyed this time very much, and while I feel I have been able to discharge my duties effectively while also giving proper attention to my constituency, this combination has been very demanding and has squeezed the time available for my family and my outside interests, including my music.
You will recognise that it has been particularly challenging being the only Lib Dem in the Home Office, which I see a newspaper the other day likened to being the only hippy at an Iron Maiden concert. Despite these challenges, I am pleased with what I have been able to achieve, not least to have been the first minister with responsibility for drugs to have put prejudice aside and published an evidence-based approach to this important issue, despite repeated Conservative efforts to block release.
I am also pleased, amongst other things, to have been able to create a cross-departmental commitment to tackling FGM, to have nursed into law a new more effective approach to anti-social behaviour, and to have launched a ground-breaking government document that promotes alternatives to animal experiments.
However, in stark contrast to the Department for Transport, I regret that in the Home Office, the goodwill to work collegiately to take forward rational evidence-based policy has been in somewhat short supply.
I have concluded, therefore, that for the time being at least, my time is better spent out of ministerial office.
You will of course continue to have my full support in the run-up to, and beyond, the next election which I anticipate is likely to produce another hung parliament. You have been, and are, an outstanding leader of the Lib Dems and I have been proud to have served in your team.
Best wishes,
Norman
Letter from Nick Clegg to Norman Baker
Dear Norman,
Thank you for the brilliant job you have done as a Minister over the past four and a half years, first at the Department of Transport and more recently at the Home Office.
In both posts you have proved yourself as one of the most effective ministers in government: always determined to deliver a more liberal agenda for Britain, by consensus where possible but by confronting vested interests whenever necessary.
However complex the issues have been, or challenging the coalition relations have proved to be, you have handled the political relationships within Government with great skill, always focusing on how to achieve liberal reform wherever you can.
I fully understand the reasons you want to take a break after four and a half years in demanding Ministerial posts – but I very much hope that if the Liberal Democrats are in government after the next election, you will once again make yourself available for Ministerial office.
On a personal level, it has been a real privilege to work alongside you over the past four and a half years.
With very best wishes,
Nick
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