Andrew Adonis Baron Adonis: Encyclopedia II - Andrew Adonis Baron Adonis - Ministerhood and peerage

Andrew Adonis Baron Adonis - Ministerhood and peerage

The move first to promote Adonis as a Minister of State and - after the public outcry - then to nominate him as Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Education and Skills is said to have followed the recognition that Adonis had played already a major role in the Department's policy outline, even in David Blunkett's days. Because of this the Education Secretary, Ruth Kelly, is described by The Observer as 'less than thrilled' over his elevation at whatever rank^[25].

The prospect of Adonis' peerage and ministerhood was described by Roy Hattersley, former Deputy Leader of the Labour Party and lifelong advocate of comprehensive schooling, as an example of Tony Blair's "kamikaze attacks on its the Labour Party's most cherished values" and that the appointment "wins high marks for [its] arrogant insensitivity"^[26].

Lord Adonis' membership of the House of Lords is seen only as an attempt to overcome the flaw that he has not been elected^[27]. It is already argued that the Peerage under Tony Blair since 1997 has been used quite strategically in comparison to the former seven years under John Major^[28]. Important Cabinet officials have generally only been created life peers upon retirement from the House of Commons. Apparently Adonis's peerage - without naming any relevant merits - has thrown another light on the discussion about the democratic legitimacy of the House of Lords as a parliamentary institution which was challenged by Adonis himself in 1988^[29].

One quotation of the without exception negative public reactions about his appointment to the Lords states: "His detractors refer to him as 'more Andrew than Adonis' but his elevation to office could signal a determination within Blair to secure a radical legacy."^[30] While still an adviser on education, Adonis was nicknamed 'Tony Zoffis' by the education commentator Ted Wragg (who was not among Adonis' supporters); this nickname stuck and has begun to be used by others. And in 2006 a Conservative Spokesman adds: "... an unelected lord, who is only a minister due to being a Blair favourite ..."^[31]

In January 2006 Labour Party rebels demand openly to dismiss Lord Adonis from his post as Undersecretary of State.^[32] And Sir Simon Jenkins : "It is what happens when you put an unelected lord in charge of sensitive social policy."^[33]

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Ministerhood and peerage", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki