Home Secretary Stands Down.

At around 14:00 (BST) UK Home Secretary Jacqui Smith announced that she was going to step down from her ministerial post at the next cabinet re-shuffle which is expected after the European elections on June 4th. After the Prime Minister the office of Home Secretary is said to be the second or third most important position within the British government. The office bears ultimate responsibility for pretty much everything that happens within the UK especially control of the nations borders, counter terrorism and the conduct of the UK security services specifically MI5 and the police.

Jacqui Smith has been under considerable pressure to leave the post for a number of months now. Her troubles began with a seemingly unstoppable desire to push through the deeply unpopular National Identity Card scheme. The pressure increased with her attempts to drive through the Anti- Terrorism Act 2008 which was seen as such a widespread and deep attack on civil liberties and traditional British freedoms that it caused the Queen herself to refuse to pass large sections of it into law. Ms Smith also came into criticism over the repressive way that the police acted at the 2008 Climate Camp and April's G20 protests. She is probably most famous though as the MP who tried to claim back the cost of two porn films on expenses. In short I don't think there are many people in Britain who will be glad to see the back of her and I am especially glad to see her go. The only regret I have is that I was scheduled to be attending a funeral at the time her departure was announced so nearly missed the good news.

Of course Jacqui Smith isn't resigning with immediate effect so much as failing to re-apply for the job when her contract is up so she's got about a week left in the post with nothing less to lose. She could use this remaining time to make life for her successor much easier by taking some of the tough decisions she's been avoiding throughout her tenure. I doubt she will though, after all she's only resigned her cabinet post so she can cling on to her Parliamentary seat and the beloved expense account.