Downing Street Says » 2006 » May

» Friday, May 5, 2006

Reshuffle

The Prime Minister's Official Spokesman (PMOS) told journalists that John Prescott remained the Deputy Prime Minister, and as he had discussed with the Prime Minister twelve months ago, he would no longer hold responsibility for a department, but the Prime Minister had asked Mr. Prescott to chair a series of major Cabinet committees, as well as maintain his international work, especially with regards to China and Eastern Europe. The PMOS said that Gordon Brown remained as Chancellor, and Margaret Beckett would become the first female Foreign Secretary. David Miliband would move to DEFRA, Douglas Alexander would become Secretary of State for Transport, as well as for Scotland. Des Browne would become Secretary of State for Defence, and Jack Straw would become Leader of the House of Commons, as well as taking responsibility for issues such as the reform of the House of Lords and party funding, and Mr. Straw would chair the Cabinet Constitutional Affairs Committee. The PMOS said that this recognised both the senior role that this post had now become, and also that Mr. Straw was both very experienced and the quintessential House of Commons man.

Briefing took place at 17:00 | Read whole briefing | Comments (0)

Reshuffle Questions

Asked about the Deputy Prime Minister's salary, and if it would decrease in light of his responsibilities, the PMOS replied that he disagreed with the description in that Mr. Prescott would be taking on, as he already had, a heavy workload in terms of chairing Cabinet Committees. That would become even heavier, and this would therefore be full recognition of that.

Briefing took place at 17:00 | Read whole briefing | Comments (2)

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