Blunkett staff 'made him Minister of Magic'

Last updated at 12:21 23 December 2004


Colleagues of David Blunkett told him he was being appointed Minister of Magic in a bid to cheer him up as he resigned as Home Secretary.

Home Office officials composed a spoof Harry Potter-style press release announcing Mr Blunkett's new job and presented it to him on the day he made an emotional exit from his Cabinet post.

The release said Mr Blunkett was to succeed Cornelius Fudge as Minister of Magic - the first muggle (non-wizard) to hold the job. And it made light of the 'nannygate' affair which led to his departure.

"Speculation has been mounting for several weeks that Mr Blunkett's job was on the line following some tedious nonsense about a visa and one or two perfectly reasonable comments about his colleagues," the release said.

"The move to the Ministry of Magic will be a move welcomed by his political supporters and wizards across the land."

'Ministry expects great things'

There was even a quote from Mr Blunkett, saying: "Well, it's not a word I've ever used before - and certainly not one that I ever let into a press notice, but I am truly delighted! It is a great privilege to be taking over from Cornelius as he retires to his mandrake farm in Wiltshire.

"And to be honest, dealing with Hogwarts and regulating the entire magical population of the UK will be a damn sight easier than trying to convince a bunch of coppers that 5.1 per cent is a decent police spending uplift!"

The release noted: "Having reduced crime, raised police numbers, got a grip on the asylum system, modernised the immigration rules, made serious inroads in reforming the criminal justice system, overseen and driven the nation's counter-terrorism efforts, got civil renewal up to the front of the political agenda, reformed the police service and started to modernise coroners, the Ministry expects great things from their new Minister."

"Some" journalists will be invited to a reception in the Ministry of Magic, the release says.

"The location of the telephone box entrance will be revealed only at the very last minute and memory modification will be used during and after the reception."

Mr Blunkett chose the Harry Potter novels as his specialist subject on a celebrity edition of Mastermind.

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