Prime Minister Gordon Brown announced a new Cabinet team based on “all change”.

Who are the Ministers whose policies and decisions will now affect our industry?

As many as eight different Cabinet Ministers will have involvement in sport, parks and leisure, such is our importance to government today.

In this ezine, we present the basic information we have put together, for members, on the “Sporting, Parky and Leisurely Eight” and their portfolios, with some additional notes on Junior Ministers likely to have a particular impact.

Starting at the top:

PRIME MINISTER GORDON BROWN

We know all about him – or, do we? Ex Tory Minister, now political commentator, Michael Portillo, said last weekend: “Whereas during Blair’s tenure at least Brown could occasionally thwart him, there seems to be nothing at all to impede Brown today … you would have to go back to Churchill during the second world war to find a comparable concentration of power in the hands of one man”. Brown is a sporting person, one who lost his eye in his teens playing rugby, and who has said that his favourite job would be manager of Raith Rovers.

Many suspect he’s anti leisure; no jogging or gyms for him, no nights out in restaurants or pubs. (But he does like using consultants!)

Does he recognise the importance of our industry? Where does his record as Chancellor for the past 10 years leave the jury, on that critical question? Answers on an ISPAL postcard, please.

CHANCELLOR ALISTAIR DARLING

Who will manage the Treasury, and the economy? Darling, or the man who has done so for the last 10 years? The new Chancellor is his own man, quiet, but determined, who has experience now from several Cabinet posts and with a “reliable” reputation. His Chief Secretary to the Treasury – second in command, and the minister managing public spending - is a new face, and a surprise, Andy Burnham. He’s a football fan.

JAMES PURNELL, CULTURE, MEDIA & SPORT

James Purnell, who is 37 going on 25, and an ex member of the NO 10 Policy Unit, has one of the key posts for ISPAL members, running a Department in which he served before as a minister - responsible then for media, tourism and licensing. He went to Pensions but is now back, and pleased about it: “I couldn’t be happier,” he said. “DCMS is full of dedicated enthusiastic people doing some of the most noble work government can do. Britain really has got talent.” Commentators perceive his key agenda as the digital switch over; casinos; implementation of the Gambling Act; the new National Lottery licence (Camelot remains the bookmakers’ favourite); and the 2012 Olympic Games (but see comments on Tessa Jowell, below).

Other Ministers in the DCMS are:

Margaret Hodge, Minister of State for heritage, arts, museums, tourism. Gerry Sutcliffe, Parliamentary Under Secretary and we also expect the courtesy title, “Minister for Sport” – sport, gambling, licensing, better regulation.

The Education Department as was has now been split two ministries or departments:

CHILDRENS, SCHOOLS & FAMILIES – ED BALLS Gordon Brown’s former chief advisor gets a big Cabinet job, running key parts of the education brief. This is a new department, one that can be expected to be trying to make a new and major impact.

INNOVATION, UNIVERSITIES & SKILLS – JOHN DENHAM The other part of old education - with another new man in the Cabinet, one who resigned as a minister over the Iraq war. He has a bit (“Skills”) from the previous Industry Department. Another new venture to watch carefully for - maybe even “innovation”.

HEALTH - ALAN JOHNSON

Another key department for parts of our industry, because of the partnership we have for the healthy living campaigns. Johnson is a well known “safe pair of hands”, who, like the previous PM, is keen on pop music. Another important name in the Health Department is Dawn Primarolo, minister responsible for the physical fitness/health issues.

COMMUNITIES & LOCAL GOVERNMENT - HAZEL BLEARS

The previous Labour Party Chairman, and candidate for the deputy leadership, a small person with big energy levels, gets a major spending Department with lots of impact on sport, parks & leisure – notably for local government spending. The minister with that specific brief is John Healey, Minister for Local Government - an ex Treasury Minister.

ENVIRONMENT, FOOD & RURAL AFFAIRS - HILARY BENN

The son of a famous parliamentarian and “old Labour” voice, Hilary Benn has managed to establish his own style and reputation, helping him toward this Cabinet promotion.

And, just outside the Cabinet: MINISTER FOR THE OLYMPICS - TESSA JOWELL

A demotion for her, from Secretary of State and Cabinet rank to Minister of State status, but she has a job she likes. There are potential “Whitehall” hurdles; her staff are based still in DCMS, while she is housed in the Cabinet Office. And James Purnell keeps responsibility for the key agencies, UK Sport and Sport England, and the former in particular has big 2012 responsibilities, eg elite development, medal winning. Possible friction, down the line?