Cabinet reshuffle imminent
Prime Minister Tony Blair is expected to make radical changes to the composition of his Cabinet imminently, placing particular emphasis on regaining electoral support for domestic issues as well securing backing for the Government’s stance on the vexed quandary of the single currency.
Mr. Blair is expected to sweep aside the old to make way for new ministerial blood, especially in the departments of education, health, and transport.
Controversially, the PM is likely to announce the creation of a new ministerial post, the Minister for Justice, whose brief would be to synergise criminal law, currently the purview of the Home Office and Lord Chancellor’s Department. But Home Secretary David Blunkett is thought to have given only lukewarm support to the idea.
Defence Minister Geoff Hoon is tipped to assume the new role.
Lord Irvine of Lairg, for his part, is widely expected to announce his retirement from his post.
Mr. Blair’s initial plan to upgrade the status of the Minister for Europe was pooh-poohed by Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, according to newspaper reports.
Mr. Straw argued that a more powerful Minister for Europe would dilute his own influential foreign ministerial post, and would confuse matters by effectively creating two posts for the same job.
However, should the PM fail to heed Mr. Straw’s exhortations, Peter Hain, currently bridging the role of Welsh Secretary and Europe spokesman, may slot into the high-profile post.
