The shelf life for Home Secretaries is reducing

It appears that the turnaround of Home Secretaries might be about to get quicker. The first Labour Home Secretary, Jack Straw, lasted four years. The most recent, John Reid, lasted just over a year. Could the latest, Jacqui Smith, be about to bring the time down to six months?

I doubt it, but she will be damaged by the latest revelations of a cover-up of illegal immigrants not being vetted for security posts. Any other revelations could mean a premature end to her tenure. Shame, because I quite like her.

I believe that the Labour Government have been pretty keen legislators, but write bad legislation and are bad at administration. It seems that the Home Office, the most difficult and controversial department to run, has been gradually becoming more of a shambles. Jack Straw lasted four years but his successor, David Blunkett, famously said that it was left it in a mess. It appears that it has been going downhill since.

The Government would do well not to introduce any Home Office bills for a couple of years and sort out their woeful performance.

Squiffy.