Will Nick return?

The Ashburton Guardian reports:

Former cabinet minister Nick Smith has hinted about a possible return to the top table after Prime Minister John Key this week indicated such a move was not out of the question. …

Mr Key was asked about Dr Smith’s future in Cabinet in light of the police decision and he said that while he could not rule it out, it depended on the outcome of other inquires.

Dr Smith, who was in Ashburton yesterday at a Federated Farmers water forum, was asked whether he would be back in Cabinet.

He quoted Winston Churchill in reply: “Politics is almost as exciting as war, and quite as dangerous. In war you can only be killed once, but in politics many times.”

Heh, Nick has used that quote many times.

My expectation is that Nick will return in October, when Lockwood Smith will become High Commissioner to London and probably David Carter the new Speaker.

The benefits of Nick returning are an experienced and capable Minister. The risks are that if he makes another error of judgement then it will be the PM held responsible, not the Minister.