AS the General Election campaign closed, there was a consensus that politics was in dire need of a fresh approach. It had gone stale amid widespread feelings of mistrust and disillusionment.

Indeed, in the small hours of an unconvincing victory, a relieved Tony Blair announced that his Government would listen and learn from the message delivered by his reduced majority.

But since then what have we seen? A Cabinet reshuffle which cements the perception that politics is shifty.

For a start, does an enforced resignation from Government mean anything any more? It seems only five minutes since David Blunkett had to quit as Home Secretary because his office was involved in fast-tracking a visa application for his ex-lover's nanny.

Mr Blunkett's Mandelsonesque rise from the ashes as Work and Pensions Secretary was swiftly followed by a return to Government for Beverley Hughes, who quit from the Home Office last year after making misleading statements over the eastern European visas row.

Add in the controversies over the appointments of Andrew Adonis, Lord Drayson and Shaun Woodward, and it is a questionable cocktail.

Mr Adonis is the unelected adviser who has become education minister, Lord Drayson is the pharmaceutical entrepreneur who gave huge sums of money to the Labour Party and has now joined the Ministry of Defence, and Shaun Woodward is the former Tory Party director of communications who swapped sides and has been appointed Northern Ireland minister.

It is, of course, all legal and above board. Mr Blair argues that he must pick the strongest team available and heavyweights like David Blunkett don't grow on trees.

But what does it all do for the credibility of politics?