Bellingham survives UK cabinet shake-up

(CNS): Despite some speculation that the minister with responsibility for the overseas territories may have lost his ministerial post as Under Secretary of State, in the British prime minister’s cabinet reshuffle this week Henry Bellingham has kept his post. The Tory minister, with whom Cayman’s premier claims he has a good relationship, will stay on in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office with William Hague, one of the Conservative heavyweights who also retained his top job as Foreign Secretary. The UK government's mid-term shake up is seen by many as David Cameron’s attempt to revive the Tory-led coalition’s fortunes in the face of continued austerity.

George Osborne, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, who was booed earlier this week as he handed out medals at the Para-Olympic games, remains at Number 11 Downing Street in David Cameron's first cabinet re-jig thatis not expected to herald any major changes of policy. UK polls had shown that the British public believes Osborne, who is a close ally of Cameron, should be sacked.

Despite some speculation in the UK Press that Hague had lost his mojo, he has retained his post after telling the Evening Standard last week that he had wanted to remain in the position.

During the interview Hague told the London-based evening paper that the UK must shed lingering feelings of "post-colonial guilt" and be confident about its status on the world stage.

He said the UK had a "new and equal partnership" with countries unburdened by past history but Britain should be "more ambitious" about its role in the world and should not be held back by worries over any residual resentment overseas about its colonial past.

The foreign secretary’s comments come in the wake of the publication of a white paper regarding the future relationship the UK wants with its existing overseas territories and remaining colonial legacy, which indicates a desire for a much more hands-on approach.