Brown announces Cabinet reshuffle

The majority of key Cabinet members have remained in place including Jacqui Smith in the Home Office, Alan Johnson in Health and Ed Balls in the Department for Children, Schools and Families. A couple of resignations have followed Ruth Kelly’s resignation last week with Lord Digby Jones and Des Browne standing down and Baroness Ashton, previously Leader of the Lords, becoming the new EU Commissioner.

Peter Mandelson has returned to the Cabinet as Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform replacing John Hutton who is now the Defence Secretary. Geoff Hoon replaces Ruth Kelly as Secretary of State for Transport and Caroline Flint, who is now the Minister of State for Europe, has been replaced by Margaret Beckett as Minister of State for Housing. Jim Murphy has also been named Secretary of State for Scotland replacing Des Browne.

A new Department for Energy and Climate Change has been set up with Ed Miliband taking his place as Secretary of State and Liam Byrne is now the Cabinet Office Minister. His focus is expected to be on co-ordinating policy across a range of key issues and could play a key part in helping push some of the government’s more controversial legislation through Parliament.