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| Lord Strathclyde resigns as leader of House of Lords | Lord Strathclyde resigns as leader of House of Lords |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| The Conservative leader of the House of Lords, Lord Strathclyde, has resigned from the government just hours before the official launch of the coalition's mid-term review. | The Conservative leader of the House of Lords, Lord Strathclyde, has resigned from the government just hours before the official launch of the coalition's mid-term review. |
| Strathclyde, 52, was one of the longest-serving ministers, having been in government for a quarter of a century, and was one of Margaret Thatcher's last remaining ministers still in government. | Strathclyde, 52, was one of the longest-serving ministers, having been in government for a quarter of a century, and was one of Margaret Thatcher's last remaining ministers still in government. |
| The timing of the announcement prompted speculation about why he had chosen to risk distracting attention from the coalition on the day it was attempting to relaunch itself. | The timing of the announcement prompted speculation about why he had chosen to risk distracting attention from the coalition on the day it was attempting to relaunch itself. |
| In his resignation letter to David Cameron, Strathclyde said the time was right to leave, having recently clocked up 15 years as leader of the Tories in the Lords, and 25 years on the party's frontbench, having previously served as a whip, chief whip and minister. | |
| "The Lords is an extraordinary and vigorous place, but recently I've been thinking of a change of direction," Strathclyde wrote to the prime minister. "I started my life in the private sector and at some stage always hoped to return, I would now like to do so." | "The Lords is an extraordinary and vigorous place, but recently I've been thinking of a change of direction," Strathclyde wrote to the prime minister. "I started my life in the private sector and at some stage always hoped to return, I would now like to do so." |
| Downing Street said Lord Hill of Oareford would replace Strathclyde as leader of the Lords and chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster in the cabinet. Hill, a former political secretary to prime minister John Major, was said to have tried to resign as a junior education minister in last September's reshuffle but when Cameron apparently failed to notice Hill wanted to leave his post. | |
| Strathclyde was appointed a companion of honour and praised by Cameron for his "assured handling" of Lords business, which included tricky manoeuvres over the now shelved reform of the House of Lords and rebellions among coalition peers on issues including secret courts and NHS reform. | |
| "To me personally, you have always been a staunch friend and wise counsel," Cameron said. "You will be much missed." | "To me personally, you have always been a staunch friend and wise counsel," Cameron said. "You will be much missed." |
| There were unconfirmed reports that Strathclyde had begun to get frustrated with regular rebellions by, and a lack of co-operation from, Liberal Democrat peers in the coalition. The peer is said to have made his final decision over the Christmas and New Year break. | |
| As well as his immense experience in the political nuances of the Lords, Strathclyde was seen as an important link to the more traditional wing of the Tory party and its grandees. | As well as his immense experience in the political nuances of the Lords, Strathclyde was seen as an important link to the more traditional wing of the Tory party and its grandees. |
| At the mid-term review launch, Cameron reiterated his support for Strathclyde and played down any suggestion he was unhappy about the clash of announcements. | At the mid-term review launch, Cameron reiterated his support for Strathclyde and played down any suggestion he was unhappy about the clash of announcements. |
| "He [Strathclyde] served for 25 years without a break on the frontbench, He's done a great job for the House of Lords and coalition government and the Conservative party: of course, I'm sad to see him go," Cameron told reporters. "He's done a fantastic job and there's no particular reason why he should be resigning today, tomorrow or any other day: I thought the best thing was to get on and appoint a new leader of the House of Lords." | |
| Liberal Democrats talked down suggestions of difficult relations in the Lords. Lord Newby of Rothwell said Strathclyde was "extremely helpful and supportive" when he took up his post as Lib Dem leader in the upper house. | |
| There was also a positive reaction to Hill's appointment. "He's go a very open smile and consults people a lot: I think he's liked across the House," said Newby. | |
| The deputy prime minister, Nick Clegg, said: "I also want to pay tribute to Lord Strathclyde. I told him he can enjoy his non-retirement [a reference to the peer's intention to return to business] in an unreformed House of Lords: I hope not for ever but for some time." |