Happy Gove loses education to become 'Minister for TV'

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MICHAEL SETTLE UK POLITICAL EDITOR

But the UK Government's new Chief Whip, in charge of party discipline, who will attend Cabinet when necessary, played up his move from the Education portfolio, which he had shown a passion for in promoting the policy of free schools and stringent academic standards in England.

He declared he was "happy" with his new role, which, he insisted, would allow him to "shape the agenda".

Mr Gove, born in Edinburgh and raised in Aberdeen, denied it was a demotion, adding: "Demotion, emotion, promotion, locomotion, I don't know how you would describe this move, though move it is."

In contrast, the teaching unions in England and Wales, which had fiercely opposed his reforms and which Mr Gove had derided as being part of the educational establishment "blob", were delighted to see him go.

Christine Blower, from the National Union of Teachers, stressed that Mr Gove had lost the confidence of the profession and said: "I would imagine there are lots of faces wreathed in smiles in staff rooms today."

Meantime, Ofsted chief Sir Michael Wilshaw said he was "surprised and shocked" by Mr Gove's departure from Education, adding: "I'm a great admirer of the Secretary of State; he's been a transformative and radical minister of education."

Downing Street insisted the 47-year-old politician's new job was "absolutely not" a downward push while the Prime Minister also talked up his new role; already dubbed "Minister for TV".

He said his friend and colleague would "have an enhanced role in campaigning and doing broadcast media interviews".

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Happy Gove loses education to become 'Minister for TV'