'A government of no talent': James O'Brien says PM is at risk of 'presiding' over talentless cabinet
25 October 2022, 14:19 | Updated: 25 October 2022, 14:59
James O'Brien on the 'paucity of talent' in government
James O'Brien expresses concerns as Rishi Sunak picks a cabinet from a "depleted pool" of talent.
His comments came after Rishi Sunak met with the King to be officially assigned as the UK's Prime Minister.
James O'Brien delved into what the appointment of Mr Sunak means for the Tory party as well as his concerns about the PM selecting a new cabinet.
"I think the fact that he has become Prime Minister after only becoming an MP a few years ago...I think that tells us two things."
James said: "It tells us obviously about the state of British politics but it also tells us about the state of the Tory party."
"A man who appears to be vaguely sensible and appears to be free of the ludicrous, tribal loyalties that have split the party down the middle.
"A man who has somehow been portrayed as a centrist remainder despite being an ardent and lifelong Brexiter...the fact that he can actually end up in the top job tells you much more about the Tory party than it does about Rishi Sunak."
He continued his analysis of how low the Prime Ministerial bar has been set: "Someone who can knot a tie, brush his hair, appears to be fairly sensible and speak comprehensible English, gets the top job.
"Because we've had a succession of people who struggle to do any or all of those things."
Rishi Sunak's first speech as Prime Minister
James claimed a lack of competence in the Conservative party saying: "It is the sheer paucity of talent in the parliamentary Conservative party that concerns me most as a patriotic democrat, it's the absolute shallowness of the talent pool."
He went on to list some of the previous cabinet appointments that he feels reflect the shallowness of the Tory talent pool, specifically the appointment of Nadine Dorries as Secretary of state for Culture, Media and sport.
James brandished Ms Dorries as "less cultured than your average yoghurt" and said her promotion was "designed entirely to amuse Boris Johnson".
READ MORE: Disillusioned Tory members quit after Rishi Sunak made party leader
After Rishi Sunak delivered his first speech as Prime Minister today the UK anticipates him appointing his cabinet - an act James said is "genuinely terrifying".
"Rishi Sunak has become Prime Minister because he looks like he can tie his shoelaces...Liz Truss did not look like she could tie her own shoelaces," James stated.
Reflecting on the government of Gordon Brown he said: "There was a time where we spoke of a cabinet of all the talents, a government of all the talents....and [now] Rishi Sunak somehow has to pick from a depleted pool.
"Rishi Sunak is at a very real risk of presiding over a government of no talent whatsoever."
