Blair's macho makeover?

Charles Clarke will "read in" on education

By Guto Harri BBC News political correspondent

Never before has a re-shuffle been characterised according to such crude sexual stereotypes.

Four senior government jobs have changed hands this week, and there's now a new regime in Northern Ireland, Wales, Labour headquarters and one of the most high profile departments of state.

There are good reasons why four different men have been slotted into those positions, but Tony Blair's overall juggling act following Estelle Morris's departure is somehow meant to be a sign that sensitive "girls" are out and macho "boys" are in.

"He's a big man, in every sense... a hard-hitter... a street-fighter... a thug".

Read the profiles of Charles Clarke and you'd be astonished to discover that the new Education Secretary is a Cambridge graduate, a former lecturer, and a man who rarely raises his voice.

So macho?

John Reid, another so called "hard man" has a PHD in economic history - a qualification which would usually pigeon-hole him as an academic if not an intellectual.

He blames his tough image on nothing more than his Glaswegian accent.

Paul Murphy and Peter Hain could never be described as macho-men.

The new Northern Ireland Secretary is the most gentle of souls. A polite softly spoken Roman Catholic from south Wales he's more likely to make the tea than throw a punch.

So too is the almost painfully politically correct vegan who's now in charge of the Welsh Office.

Kinnock link

Yet none of them are like Estelle Morris.

If they harbour self-doubts, they keep them to themselves or share them with intimate friends rather than the press.

If the going gets tough, as it certainly will for most of them, they'll try to sort it out.

All four were close at some stage to the former Labour leader, Neil Kinnock, so they expect politics to be brutal. They know the press can be ruthless. They've lived through far tougher times than Tony Blair's government has every experienced.

If they felt, like Estelle Morris, that they weren't up to the job, they might say so. But they don't.

All four are impressively academic. All four are recognised for their intellectual grasp. They might not be loved by the public, but they don't expect that.

Iraq dissent

Paul Murphy will plough on patiently in Northern Ireland because he has done that before as political development minister.

Mo Mowlam had the spotlight and got the credit, but he did most of the work.

John Reid will need to address the growing tensions within the Labour movement over the private finance initiative, and most notably on Iraq.

He'll want to minimise dissent if Tony Blair goes to war, but he won't stifle it or pretend it isn't there.

Peter Hain has few direct policy levers to pull in Wales post-devolution, but Labour has an election to fight there next year, and he is to retain his role representing the UK on the European Convention.

Lesser post?

Charles Clarke will, of course, be different to Estelle Morris, but is that because of his gender or nature?

If he presides over another A-level fiasco, fails to vet teachers before the start of school term or misses government-set targets, he'll rightly get clobbered.

If he delivers, his colleagues will be extremely grateful in the run-up to the next general election.

Estelle Morris will now be hoping for a lesser post where she can play a part comfortably.

If Tony Blair offers her a post in time - she like other women and their male colleagues in government, would want it on the basis of her ability, not on a vague notion of affinity credited only to one particular sex.