Many people, particularly perhaps now, have a low view of politicians. Having met quite a few MPs and Ministers in the course of my work I tend not to share the general view. Most politicians are trying to do the right thing and trying to do a good job for all their constituents. Some of them are up to the job and others seem to lack a little in character and ability - but which profession or career could claim anything different?
Whatever you think of politicians, I think you might agree that a Cabinet Minister has a pretty important and powerful job, so the whole business of reshuffles always strikes me as being a bit odd. I'm glad that the RSPB's Chief Executive can't one day call me in to his office and tell me that I've done a great job as Conservation Director but now is the time for me to direct my skills and energies to being Finance Director. He might even tell me that this is a promotion!
I love my job, and whether or not I'm any good at it, it is difficult to imagine that giving me another senior role that I knew little about and didn't fire me up would be the road to success. But that is what happens to Cabinet members.
Few other senior roles are disbursed without job descriptions, person specifications, application forms or interviews but the changes in Ministerial appointments will be. How many of the people around any Cabinet table would be able to persuade a panel of interviewers that they were the best person for the job and really wanted to do it?
Having said that, I think the current Environment Secretary, Hilary Benn, is fired up by his job and does want to do it. He has a real feel for nature and environmental issues. That won't be top of the list in terms of determining whether he is still doing the job if the Prime Minister shuffles the pack.
A love of the natural world demonstrates that a person is a cultured inhabitant of planet Earth.