Minister number nine for housing
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I'm not calling Healey's abilities into question but the figures speak for themselves. He is the ninth MP to hold the office since Labour came to power in 1997 and the fourth since Brown moved into Downing Street.
The first three of these, in the words of one former holder of the office, amounted to no more than "female window-dressing". I am, of course, paying homage to Caroline Flint's letter of resignation from the Cabinet.
Had Flint used the word feminine rather than female her judgement might have been called into question, bearing in mind that her predecessor as housing minister was Yvette Cooper and Flint herself was succeeded in the role by Margaret Beckett.
The saving grace in the decision to appoint Healey is that he is already ensconced in the Department for Communities and Local Government. In fact, as minister of state he was responsible for strategy following the summer floods of 2007.
And as a former private secretary to the chancellor and financial secretary to the Treasury he has the right credentials.
So Healey has a chance of hanging on in the role for a bit longer than previous incumbents, although if things get any worse for the hapless Brown his stay could end up being shorter.
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