Talk:Minister without portfolio

Possible article move
Should this article, perhaps, be moved simply to "minister without portfolio" (as opposed to the capitalised "Minister without Portfolio")? While it seems that it's a formal term in the United Kingdom, some other countries use it as a simple descriptive term. I'm not particularly familiar with the usage in other countries, but in early New Zealand politics, there were frequently "ministers without portfolio", but I don't think it was never an official title, and thus was never capitalised. I would prefer having the article refer to ministers without portfolio as a general category, while mentioning that some countries make it an official term. It's not important, though. -- Vardion 07:01, 1 Oct 2004 (UTC)


 * The list of British ones should definitely stay capitalised. As you say, it's an official title in the UK. I would be surprised if this wasn't the case in other countries too. Even if it isn't an official title, it's likely to be formal. Minister for Women is not an official title, as no legislation has been passed to bring such an office into existence, but it is capitalised. Similarly, we have Prime Minister of Australia even though that is not an official title.

Deputy Prime Minister
The article says "The sinecure positions of Lord Privy Seal and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster can also be used for equivalent effect." Would it be appropriate to add Deputy Prime Minister to this list? DavidFarmbrough 12:17, 29 March 2007 (UTC)

Definition and responsibilities
This article needs a cleanup and a clear definition. Would this minister be in the cabinet? How does this role come about? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 216.165.95.5 (talk) 13:09, 13 December 2007 (UTC)

Ireland
I removed this, uncited and contradicts what I've replaced it with:
 * This provision has rarely been used and when so only for short periods before being assigned in charge of a Department of State.
 * Eamonn Duggan (1922)
 * Fionán Lynch (1922)
 * Erskine H. Childers (1959)
 * Michael O'Kennedy (1972-1973)
 * Martin O'Donoghue (1977)

The first two listed predate the 1939 Act in any case. jnestorius(talk) 23:24, 26 June 2009 (UTC)

Lacks clarity
In Canada, and I believe in the UK, the Government is defined as those who can introduce a money bill. So: can a Minister without portfolio introduce a money bill, or are they in cabinet but not the government?

The Bear —Preceding unsigned comment added by Envirobear (talk • contribs) 15:30, 22 August 2010 (UTC)

Correction
Spencer Horatio Walpole was a Conservative; just because he had Whig forebears did not make him one. Moreover, if the government of Derby and Disraeli (1866-8) wasn't a Conservative one, then I'd be very much surprised, and this fact would not only fly in the face of interpretation of history, but also historical fact! — Preceding unsigned comment added by 93.97.57.195 (talk) 19:27, 8 January 2012 (UTC)

Sinecure
My definition of "sinecure" would be a named post that doesn't have arduous duties, whereas a Minister Without Portfolio is someone (generally of cabinet rank) who is given a job to do and thus has significant duties, but doesn't have a specifically named post within the existing framework of government (ie the extant list of government departments). I'm posting this as a critique of the article summary, which in any case appears to be without citations.Silas Maxfield (talk) 19:30, 20 February 2013 (UTC)

Boris Johnson and Lord Feldman
DO NOT PUT THEM THERE. Boris and Lord Feldman are not Ministers without Portfolio, they are not even ministers or any other member of the government. Boris and Feldman are allowed to attend the political cabinet which includes the chief of staff, senior advisers etc. but they are NOT ministers and it is factually incorrect (a downright lie) to include it on the page. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Cindy's Cafe (talk • contribs) 04:14, 20 October 2015 (UTC)

Double Standards Fallacy
There is no valid reason the UK should have such pedant showmanship under its heading, while every other applicable sovereign is not afforded equal treatment. Either neuter the UK so they are equal to the rest of us, or give everyone else an equal dose of the psychosis, sans UK, macropenilephilia, so we can be ego-inflated too. 72.67.29.199 (talk) 11:01, 13 December 2015 (UTC)

External links modified
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External links modified
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 * Added tag to http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/2011/en/act/pub/0010/sec0007.htm
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A Commons file used on this page has been nominated for deletion
The following Wikimedia Commons file used on this page has been nominated for deletion: Participate in the deletion discussion at the nomination page. Community Tech bot (talk) 11:43, 18 July 2018 (UTC)
 * Sir Anthony-Eden number 10 Official.jpg

Cabinet Secretary Without portfolio
Hon. Cleophas Wakhungu Malala - Secretary General UDA and a Cabinet Secretary Without portfolio in the current Kenyan Kenya Kwanza government.￼ 154.159.237.31 (talk) 13:21, 19 March 2023 (UTC)