Michael Ellis (replaces Jesse Norman at DfT)

[whole diary]

[grahame]

From Fleet News

Michael Ellis replaces Jesse Norman at DfT^» (Department for Transport - about)

Michael Ellis has been appointed as a transport minister at the Department for Transport (DfT), replacing Jess Norman who moves to the Treasury.

Ellis was previously parliamentary under secretary of state at the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport from January 2018 to May 2019.

Prior to that, he was deputy leader of the House of Commons from July 2016 to January 2018.

He was elected Conservative MP^▸ (Member of Parliament) for Northampton North in May 2010.

As transport minister, Ellis will be responsible for cycling and walking policy, electric and autonomous vehicles, the future of mobility, Highways England and strategic roads, international vehicle standards, light rail, local roads policy and funding, the major roads network, motoring agencies, road freight, road safety, traffic and transport and the environment.

Under previous Secretaries of State such as Patrick McLoughlin, the next tier (transport ministers) were very much in (my) public eye with people like Claire Perry being very visible.  Under the current Secretary of State - Chris Grayling - the public eye is very much concentrated at that higher level and Michael Ellis, Nusrat  Ghani, Andrew Jones and Baroness  Vere of Norbiton and far less visible. Is that based on Chris Grayling's approach and policy, on how the press sees things, or a misconception on my part?

[ChrisB]

Failing Grayling is a media story in itself, hence the reduction in coverage of his underlings

[stuving]

Two thoughts:

1. Junior trasnport minister is a rather technical job - you'd be wise not to open your mouth until you've had time to learn at least a bit about it. Before that your name goes on other people's words, and as everyone knows that they ignore your name. And how long have all those unfamiliar names been in post?

That dispensation doesn't apply to the SoS, who like other cabinet ministers is supposed to know all about it from hour one. In Grayling's case he's such an idealogue that he would run in boots first and ignore advice anyway - as was the case, now notoriously,  with the probation service.

2. Hasn't there been something else monopolising the headlines?

[Celestial]

Failing Grayling is a media story in itself, hence the reduction in coverage of his underlings

Though Andrew Jones seems to be the one wheeled out in parliament, both in the commons and select committees, though the comments I've seen are fairly underwhelmed at his performances.

[Bmblbzzz]

Coincidentally I know a Mick Ellis who works for National Rail... 

[patch38]

Coincidentally I know a Mick Ellis who works for National Rail... 

And, of course, there was a Monty Python sketch where a man going to a department store to buy an ant gets mistaken for Michael Ellis.