Estelle Morris back in government
Estelle Morris – who sensationally resigned as Education Secretary last year – is to become Minister for the Arts.
The Birmingham Yardley MP’s appointment has been announced as part of today’s reshuffle. She takes the place of Baroness Blackstone, who resigns from government.
Today’s other reshuffle points:
Margaret Hodge is to be Minister for Children – a new post at the Department for Education and Skills.
The new children portfolio will, according to Downing Street, add responsibilities transferred from the Department of Health, the Home Office and the former Lord Chancellor’s Department to those already under the DFES umbrella.
Alan Johnson leaves the DTI to replace Margaret Hodge as Minister for Universities at DFES
Rosie Winterton leaves the now defunct Lord Chancellor’s Department to become a Health Minister.
She is joined at DoH by Stephen Ladyman. Fiona MacTaggart, meanwhile, is appointed to the Home Office.
John Spellar leaves the Department for Transport to become a Northern Ireland Minister.
He replaces Des Browne, who has been appointed to the DWP.
Michael O’Brien is promoted within the Foreign Office to Minister of State.
John Spellar becomes Minister of State at the Northern Ireland Office.
Chris Pond enters the Department of Work and Pensions.
Ben Bradshaw moves from his current position of Deputy Leader of the House to become a junior minister at DEFRA.
Kim Howells moves from the Department of Culture to become a Minister of State at the Department of Transport.
Environment Minister Michael Meacher is to leave the Government.
Michael Meacher joins Energy Minister Brian Wilson in announcing his departure before his replacement has been announced.
Farming and Fisheries Minister Elliot Morley takes Mr Meacher’s place.
Minister for Work Nick Brown is resigning from the government.
Barbara Roche leaves the Government
Hazel Blears moves from Department of Health to Home Office.
Jacqui Smith joins Trade and Industry and is also Deputy Minister for Women.
Dr Lewis Moonie leaves the Ministry of Defence.
Keith Hill and Baroness Symons enter the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and the Foreign Office respectively as Ministers of State.
International Development Minister Sally Keeble exits her post.
Chris Mullin re-enters government at the Foreign Office
Yvette Cooper moves from the Department of Health to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister
Malcolm Wicks joins the Work and Pensions Department as a Minister of State.
David Lammy, Christopher Leslie and Lord Filkin all join the newly-established Department for Constitutional Affairs
Further appointments
Tony McNulty – Transport
Gerry Sutcliffe – DTI
Melanie Johnson – Department of Health
Caroline Flint – Home Office
Lord McIntosh – Department for Culture, Media and Sports
Phil Woolas – Deputy Leader of the Commons
Gareth Thomas – Department for International Development
Lord Warner – Department of Health
Ivor Caplin – Ministry of Defence
Cabinet appointments
As part of the reshuffle at cabinet level, John Reid, the current Leader of the House of Commons, replaces Alan Milburn as the Health Secretary.
Welsh Secretary Peter Hain has replaced Dr Reid as Leader of the House.
Lord Chancellor Lord Irvine has resigned from the Government, as has Scottish Secretary Helen Liddell.
A new portfolio of Constitional Affairs has been created to replace the Scottish and Welsh Offices, and to take over the court service functions of the Lord Chancellor’s Department, and this post has gone to Lord Falconer.
Transport Secretary Alistair Darling will speak on Scottish matters in the Commons, and Mr Hain will speak on Welsh issues.
A new speaker of the House of Lords – a role traditionally performed by the Lord Chancellor – is also to be created.
In addition, Lord MacDonald, the Minister for the Cabinet Office, has resigned – he made his intention to resign at the reshuffle clear some weeks ago.
