Blair Ministry

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Tony Blair is currently serving as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom for a third successive parliamentary term. His Cabinet was reshuffled for each new parliament as well as changed during the three periods.

1 Tony Blair's first Cabinet, May 1997 to June 2001
- 1.1 Changes
2 Tony Blair's second Cabinet, June 2001 to May 2005
- 2.1 Changes
3 Tony Blair's third Cabinet, May 2005 to present
- 3.1 Changes
4 External links

[edit] Tony Blair's first Cabinet, May 1997 to June 2001

[edit] Changes

July 1998 — Margaret Beckett becomes Leader of the House of Commons. Baroness Jay of Paddington becomes Leader of the House of Lords and Minister for Women. Stephen Byers becomes Chief Secretary to the Treasury. Ann Taylor becomes Chief Whip, which is now a cabinet position. Jack Cunningham becomes Cabinet Office Minister and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. Nick Brown becomes Agriculture Minister. Alistair Darling becomes Social Security Secretary. Peter Mandelson enters the cabinet as Trade & Industry Secretary. John Reid becomes Transport Minister, which is no longer a cabinet position (although Dr Reid will continue attending cabinet meetings). Lord Richard, Harriet Harman, David G. Clark, and Gavin Strang leave the cabinet. The President of the Board of Trade is no longer a title used by the Trade Secretary.
October 1998 — Alun Michael becomes Welsh Secretary. Ron Davies leaves the Cabinet.
December 1998 — Stephen Byers becomes Trade & Industry Seretary. Alan Milburn becomes Chief Secretary to the Treasury. Peter Mandelson leaves the cabinet.
May 1999 — John Reid becomes Scottish Secretary. Donald Dewar leaves the cabinet.
July 1999 — Paul Murphy becomes Welsh Secretary. Alun Michael leaves the cabinet.
October 1999 — Andrew Smith becomes Chief Secretary to the Treasury. Geoff Hoon becomes Defence Secretary. Alan Milburn becomes Health Secretary. Peter Mandelson returns to the cabinet as Northern Ireland Secretary. Mo Mowlam becomes Cabinet Office Minister and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. George Robertson , Jack Cunningham, and Frank Dobson leave the cabinet.
January 2001 — Peter Mandelson resigns as Northern Ireland Secretary and is succeeded by John Reid. Helen Liddell enters the cabinet and succeeds John Reid as Scottish Secretary.

[edit] Tony Blair's second Cabinet, June 2001 to May 2005

[edit] Changes

May 2002 — Stephen Byers resigns and the Department of Transport, Local Government & the Regions is broken up. Alistair Darling becomes Secretary of State for Transport. John Prescott's Office of the Deputy Prime Minister assumes the Local Government & the Regions portfolio. Andrew Smith becomes Work & Pensions Secretary. Paul Boateng becomes Chief Secretary to the Treasury. Complete list of changes
October 2002 — Estelle Morris resigns. Charles Clarke becomes Education Secretary; John Reid (UK politician) becomes Minister without Portfolio. Paul Murphy becomes Northern Ireland Secretary. Peter Hain becomes Welsh Secretary.
March 2003 — Robin Cook resigns. John Reid (UK politician) becomes Leader of the House of Commons. Ian McCartney becomes Minister without Portfolio.
May 2003 — Clare Short resigns and is succeed by Baroness Amos as International Development Secretary.
June 2003 — In a reshuffle John Reid becomes Health Secretary. Lord Falconer of Thoroton assumes the new position of Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs, also becoming Lord Chancellor. Alistair Darling becomes Scottish Secretary remaining also Transport Secretary. Peter Hain becomes Leader of the House of Commons, remaining also Welsh Secretary. Alan Milburn, Lord Irvine of Lairg, and Helen Liddell leave the Cabinet. Complete list of changes
October 2003 — Baroness Amos becomes Leader of the House of Lords, following the death of Lord Williams of Mostyn. Hilary Benn becomes International Development Secretary.
September 2004 — Andrew Smith resigns as Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and is succeeded by Alan Johnson. Alan Milburn returns to government with a seat in the Cabinet as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster mainly at the head of policy co-ordination; he replaces Douglas Alexander, who was not in the Cabinet.
December 2004 — David Blunkett resigns as Home Secretary and is succeeded by Charles Clarke. Ruth Kelly succeeds Clarke as Secretary of State for Education and Skills.