1999 British cabinet reshuffle

Government ministry changes thumb|200px|Tony Blair On 27 July 1999, British Prime Minister Tony Blair held his first major cabinet reshuffle of his government.1999-07-30 The government team en-GB The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/politics/1999/jul/30/reshuffle1999.politicalnews1 2023-08-12 0261-3077 Background It was considered that Health secretary Frank Dobson would stand in the 2000 London mayoral election against Labour-turned-Independent Ken Livingstone.Watt Nicholas 1999-07-05 Blair will order Dobson to block Livingstone en-GB The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/politics/1999/jul/05/reshuffle1999.politicalnews 2023-08-12 0261-3077 But he denied accusations of him being moved out of government.MacAskill Ewen 1999-07-10 Dobson shakes cabinet truce en-GB The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/politics/1999/jul/10/reshuffle1999.uk 2023-08-12 0261-3077 Mo Mowlam expected to be replaced as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland by Peter Mandelson but this did not happen until October 1999.Watt Nicholas 1999-07-05 Mowlam expects Blair to move her in reshuffle en-GB The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/uk/1999/jul/05/northernireland.reshuffle1999 2023-08-12 0261-3077 The reshuffle was anticipated as being the cull of Old Labour and the promotion of Blairites from the 1997 general election.Wintour Patrick McSmith Andy 1999-07-25 Purge of Labour's old faithful to make way for class of 97 in Cabinet en-GB The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/politics/1999/jul/25/reshuffle1999.politicalnews1 2023-08-12 0261-3077 It was reported that Alastair Campbell, Blair's Press Secretary, had influence over changes at Cabinet level.1999-07-25 Smell of fear in Whitehall as reshuffle fever reaches a peak en-GB The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/politics/1999/jul/25/reshuffle1999.politicalnews 2023-08-12 0261-3077 The reshuffle was delayed by a week in anticipation of a strong Labour performance in the 1999 Eddisbury by-election.Ward Lucy 1999-07-17 Mowlam key figure in reshuffle en-GB The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/politics/1999/jul/17/reshuffle1999.labour 2023-08-12 0261-3077 Cabinet-level changes Margaret Beckett becomes Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons The Baroness Jay of Paddington becomes Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal, Leader of the House of Lords and Minister for Women Stephen Byers becomes Chief Secretary to the Treasury Ann Taylor becomes Chief Whip, which became a cabinet position Jack Cunningham becomes Cabinet Office Minister and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Nick Brown becomes Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Alistair Darling becomes Secretary of State for Social Security Paul Murphy promoted to Secretary of State for Wales from Minister of State for Northern Ireland Peter Mandelson moves from being Minister Without Portfolio to being Trade and Industry Secretary John Reid becomes Transport Minister, which is no longer a cabinet position (although Reid will continue attending cabinet meetings) David Simon, Baron Simon of Highbury left as the trade minister responsible for preparing Britain joining the euro.MacAskill Ewen 1999-07-26 Simon set to go in Blair reshuffle en-GB The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/politics/1999/jul/26/reshuffle1999.uk 2023-08-12 0261-3077 Ivor Richard, Harriet Harman, David Clark and Gavin Strang left the cabinet The President of the Board of Trade ceased to be a title used by the Trade Secretary Junior ministerial changes Colour key#A2E2AA Promotednote b According to the ministerial pay scale:Minister of State >Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State >Parliamentary Private Secretary 1px solid #AAAAAA #FBB9B2 Left the government 1px solid #AAAAAA MinisterPosition before reshufflePosition after reshufflePeter Kilfoyle Minister of State for the Cabinet Office Minister of State at the Office of Public ServiceParliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defenceframeless|97x97pxIan McCartneyMinister of State for Competitiveness Minister of State for the Cabinet Office Minister of State at the Office of Public ServiceBarbara RocheFinancial Secretary to the TreasuryMinister of State for Asylum and Immigrationframeless|110x110pxStephen TimmsMinister of State for PensionsFinancial Secretary to the Treasuryframeless|97x97pxTony LloydMinister of State for Foreign AffairsBackbench MPframeless|105x105pxJohn BattleMinister of State for Trade and IndustryMinister of State for Foreign Affairsframeless|98x98pxBrian WilsonMinister of State for ScotlandMinister of State for Trade and Industryframeless|97x97pxJoyce QuinMinister of State for EuropeMinister of State for Agriculture, Fisheries and Foodframeless|90x90pxGeoff HoonMinister of State for AfricaMinister of State for EuropeGareth WilliamsMinister of State for Prisons Attorney General for England and Wales Attorney General for Northern Irelandframeless|98x98pxCharles ClarkeParliamentary Under Secretary of State for Education and EmploymentMinister of State for Prisonsframeless|100x100pxKate HoeyParliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Home AffairsMinister for SportTony BanksMinister for SportBackbench MPframeless|105x105pxSteve BassamBackbench peerParliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Home Affairsframeless|96x96pxGeorge HowarthParliamentary Under Secretary of State for Prisons, Drugs & ElectionsParliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Northern Irelandframeless|100x100pxHelen LiddellMinister of State for TransportMinister of State for Trade and Industryframeless|97x97pxGus MacdonaldParliamentary Under-Secretary of State for ScotlandMinister of State for Transportframeless|99x99pxHilary ArmstrongMinister of State for Housing and Planningframeless|100x100pxNick RaynsfordMinister for London Minister of State for Housing and Planning Minister of State for the Regionsframeless|96x96pxRichard CabornMinister of State for the RegionsMinister of State for Tradeframeless|90x90pxKeith HillAssistant Whip Minister for London Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for TransportAlan MealeParliamentary Under Secretary of State for Energy, Environment & the RegionsBackbench MPframeless|94x94pxBeverley HughesBackbench MPParliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department of Environment, Transport and the Regionsframeless|97x97pxJeff RookerMinister of State for Agriculture, Fisheries and FoodMinister of State for Pensionsframeless|99x99pxBernard DonoughueParliamentary Under Secretary of State for Farming and the Food IndustryBackbench MPframeless|100x100pxHelene HaymanParliamentary Under-Secretary of State for HealthParliamentary Under Secretary of State for Farming and the Food IndustryDoug HendersonMinister of State for the Armed Forcesframeless|93x93pxJohn SpellarParliamentary Under-Secretary of State for DefenceMinister of State for the Armed ForcesJohn GilbertMinister of State for Defence ProcurementBackbench MPframeless|96x96pxElizabeth SymonsParliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth AffairsMinister of State for Defence ProcurementGeorge MudieParliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education and EmploymentBackbench MPframeless|112x112pxJacqui SmithBackbench MPParliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education and Employmentframeless|101x101pxMichael WillsBackbench MPParliamentary Under Secretary of State for Education and Employmentframeless|103x103pxMalcolm WicksBackbench MPMinister for Lifelong Learning in the Department for Education and Employmentframeless|103x103pxGisela StuartBackbench MPParliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Healthframeless|88x88pxAlan JohnsonBackbench MPParliamentary Under Secretary of State for Small Firms, Trade & Industryframeless|104x104pxKeith VazParliamentary Under Secretary of State to the Lord Chancellors DepartmentMinister for Europe, Foreign and Commonwealth AffairsDavid LockBackbench MPParliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Lord Chancellors DepartmentJohn SewelParliamentary Under-Secretary of State for ScotlandBackbench MPCalum MacDonaldParliamentary Under-Secretary of State for ScotlandBackbench MPframeless|97x97pxPeter HainParliamentary Under-Secretary of State for WalesMinister of State for Africa, the Middle East and South AsiaJon Owen JonesParliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Walesframeless|102x102pxDavid HansonAssistant WhipParliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Walesframeless|99x99pxGerry SutcliffeBackbench MPAssistant Whipframeless|96x96pxPhilip HuntLord-in-waitingParliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department of Healthframeless|108x108pxWilly BachBackbench MP (given peerage on day of reshuffle)Lord-in-waiting Reception The reshuffle was described as "problematic".1999-07-25 Monitor: All the News of the World: The Sundays give their views on who should be moved in the coming Cabinet reshuffle https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/monitor-all-the-news-of-the-world-the-sundays-give-their-views-on-who-should-be-moved-in-the-coming-cabinet-reshuffle-1108736.html 2023-08-12 The Independent en Journalist Anne Perkins wrote in favour of scrapping cabinet reshuffles.Perkins Anne 1999-07-27 It's time to scrap these reshuffles en-GB The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/politics/1999/jul/27/reshuffle1999.comment 2023-08-12 0261-3077 References Category:Cabinet reshuffles in the United Kingdom Category:1999 in the United Kingdom Category:1999 in British politics Category:Premiership of Tony Blair Category:July 1999 in the United Kingdom