Hunt became a controversial figure earlier this summer thanks to headlines screaming of his cosy dealings with the Murdoch empire over the BSkyB takeover deal.
He was considered the ’embattled’ culture secretary for some time, until he managed to salvage a little of his reputation with the success of the London 2012 Games.
However, handing one of the most contentious issues in Britain today – the handling of the NHS – over to Hunt seems like a brave decision. Hunt will now oversee a £100bn budget and a public service that has the capability to swing votes.
Hunt’s new position ousts Andrew Lansley, who is to become Leader of the House. The Leader’s duties mainly revolve around scheduling Commons business. Speculation is rife that this represents a form of punishment for Lansley’s handling of the Coalition’s controversial reforms of the NHS, which proved widely unpopular.
Twitter has already responded to the news in typically cynical fashion, with some quarters wondering whether we can expect a Murdoch-owned NHS in future.
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