Peers in charge & the First Secretary of State

Since the second world war, this is the first Cabinet to have members of the Lords in charge of two spending departments (Mandelson at business, Adonis at Transport).
Lord (Peter) Carrington, Lord (Quentin Hogg) Hailsham, Lord (David) Young have been in a very small minority of peers who have run major departments and this Cabinet is makinga major contributions to their ranks.

These exceptions to the rule had an MP as their departmental deputy, able to answer questions and make statements, but as a member of the Cabinet, usually one of the nominal posts such as Paymaster-General or Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. Ken Clarke, for example, first became a member of the Cabinet in this role, to David Young.

What's slightly extraordinary, this was the case with Mandelson prior to todays reshuffle and the problem is now doubled, is that not only are their departmental deputies not members of the Cabinet, they're not even part of the phalanx of people entitled or invited to attend. Statements on Transport and Business issues will now be made and answered by an MP not around the Cabinet table when they were discussed.

We've also seen today the revival of one of the more meaningless (to the world if not to the holder) titles in government, that of First Secretary of State, which Lord Mandelson now has. Indeed, not content with that honorary title, he's also scooped up that of Lord President, normally destined for Leader of the Lords or the Commons.

Of his 6 predecessors, 3 also held the (also meaningless) post of Deputy Prime Minister (Prescott, Heseltine, and the first post-holder, Rab Butler). 1 was deputy leader of his party (the first G Brown at the top of British politics), leaving Mandelson alongside Barbara Castle and Michael Stewart as non-deputy holders of the First Sec of State title.