Speculation proves groundless...

It appears that Alan Johnson, the Higher Education Minister, is staying put for the time being after Tony Blair decided to give Peter Mandelson a ticket to Brussels and shuffle off on holiday instead of reshuffling his Cabinet. Lobby hacks had tipped Mr Johnson for promotion and, in the week before the reshuffle-that-never-was, even the minister's parliamentary aide was heard to remark before going away for a weekend break that his boss ought to leave him a message telling him where to report to work when he got back.