It’s an odd quirk of our unwritten constitution that the role of Leader of the House of Commons has evolved into something akin to the Eastbourne of cabinet positions – god’s waiting room for ministers on their way down (Robin Cook, Chris Grayling, Andrea Leadsom).
Conversely, that of Chief Secretary to the Treasury is regularly given to those destined for bigger things (Alistair Darling, Yvette Cooper, Rishi Sunak). As if being a junior Treasury minister is the political equivalent of the theory that everyone should work in retail at least once in their lives.
