Gordon's reshuffle: who's going where?
- 00:01:05
- ITN
Gordon's reshuffle: who's going where?
Gordon Brown has unveiled his new Cabinet following a series of damaging and dramatic resignations. The PM was placed under intense political pressure with the news three more of his top team - Work and Pensions Secretary James Purnell, Defence Secretary John Hutton and Transport Secretary Geoff Hoon - were all quitting the Government. And Europe Minister Caroline Flint fired a parting shot at Mr Brown as she announced she was leaving her post, claiming the PM had treated her as "female window dressing". Reports suggest housing minister Margaret Beckett is also stepping aside after she was not offered another post. Employment minister Tony McNulty resigned after learning he too would be sidelined in the reshuffle. The latest departees join Home Secretary Jacqui Smith and Communities Secretary Hazel Blears, who announced earlier this week they no longer wished to serve in a Brown Cabinet. Health Secretary Alan Johnson is to become the new Home Secretary while Armed Forces minister Bob Ainsworth is to replace Mr Hutton as Defence Secretary. Culture Secretary Andy Burnham will take over responsibility for the Department of Health, with his brief reportedly being taken on by health minister Ben Bradshaw. John Denham will replace Hazel Blears as Communities Secretary and Lord Adonis will become Transport Secretary. Chancellor Alistair Darling will remain in his post, despite speculation Mr Brown wanted to shift him elsewhere, while Jack Straw will stay on as Justice Secretary. The jobs of Foreign Secretary David Miliband and Business Secretary Lord Mandelson also remain unchanged. Ed Miliband and Douglas Alexander are understood to be staying as Climate Change Secretary and International Development Secretary respectively. And Ed Balls, who had been linked to the Chancellor's job, is to remain as Schools Secretary, sources said. Peter Hain later said he is returning to the Cabinet as Welsh Secretary, replacing Paul Murphy, the last of six senior ministers to quit. He had vacated the job early last year amid controversy about donations to his campaign for Labour's deputy leadership. Shadow foreign secretary William Hague said the reshuffle exposed the weakness of Mr Brown. "He clearly hasn't been able to move ministers he wanted to move," said the former Tory leader. "It is very evident he wanted the Chancellor out of that job, possibly that he wanted the Foreign Secretary out of that job and he hasn't felt strong enough to move them. It is a weakened team that stays in office over the next few months."
ITN | June 5, 2009
