Blair ministry

Blair ministry
90th, 91st and 92nd ministries of the United Kingdom (since 1707)
1997–2007

Date formed	2 May 1997
Date dissolved	24 June 2007
People and organisations
Head of government	Tony Blair
Deputy head of government	John Prescott
Head of state	Queen Elizabeth II
Member party	Labour Party
Status in legislature	Majority
Opposition cabinet	Major Shadow Cabinet Hague Shadow Cabinet Duncan Smith Shadow Cabinet Howard Shadow Cabinet Cameron Shadow Cabinet
Opposition party	Conservative Party
Opposition leader	John Major (1997) William Hague (1997–2001) Iain Duncan Smith (2001–03) Michael Howard (2003–05) David Cameron (2005–07)
History
Election(s)	1997 general election 2001 general election 2005 general election
Predecessor	Major ministry
Successor	Brown ministry

Tony Blair formed the Blair ministry in May 1997 after being invited by Queen Elizabeth II to form a new government following the resignation of the previous Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, John Major as a result of the Labour Party victory in the 1997 General Election. He would serve as the Prime Minister for three successive parliamentary terms until his resignation on 27 June 2007. His Cabinet was reshuffled for each new parliament along with a few minor changes during each term.

Formation

After 18 years in opposition, Labour ousted the Tories in the May 1997 election with a 179-seat majority. The Prime Minister Tony Blair, who turned 44 just days after leading Labour to power, was the youngest Prime Minister of the 20th century.

Blair quickly wiped away memories of the troubled Labour governments led by Harold Wilson and James Callaghan as the economic recovery continued and unemployment continued to fall. While other developed countries, notably Japan, were hit by a financial crisis during Blair's first term in office, Britain's economy remained strong.

In September 2000, however, protests against fuel prices intensified across the country and the new Tory leader William Hague exploited the situation by pointing out to voters just how much fuel prices had risen under Labour. This sparked a brief Tory lead in the opinion polls – the first in eight years – but once the protests and consequent fuel shortages ended, Labour led the opinion polls once more. Blair was so confident of re-election that he called a general election for 3 May, but this was postponed until 7 June due to the foot and mouth crisis. This led to a brief crisis in the agricultural and tourism industries, but did little to shake a still-strong economy and the voters responded by re-electing Blair with an only slightly reduced majority.

Tory leader William Hague, whose party barely improved on their disastrous election result of 1997, stepped down after the election and was succeeded by Iain Duncan Smith.

Following the financial crisis in Japan at the end of the 1990s, there was a brief recession in other parts of the developed world including Germany,^[1] Italy and France in the early 2000s, but once again Britain avoided recession and continued to enjoy a strong economy and low unemployment.^[2]

By the time the next general election was on the horizon, Blair and Labour were looking well positioned for a record third successive term in government. Unemployment remained low and the economy remained strong with more than a decade of unbroken growth, and education and healthcare had changed for the better as a result of expenditure by Labour.

However, the Labour government had attracted controversy by sending British troops to fight in Afghanistan in the aftermath of the 11 September terrorist attacks on the United States in 2001, and even more so when it joined the American-led invasion of Iraq 18 months later – particularly when it emerged that the ousted Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein's alleged nuclear weapons were never found and serious questions were raised about the issue of going to war. Although the dictatorship regimes in both of these countries were swiftly ended by British and American troops, the remaining British forces were not withdrawn from Iraq until 2009 and from Afghanistan until 2014.

Soon after the invasion of Iraq, Labour support in the opinion polls fell and the Tories drew level with them in at least one poll during 2003. However, this did little to end speculation about the future of their unpopular leader Iain Duncan Smith and in October 2003 he lost a vote of no confidence and was replaced by Michael Howard, who stood unopposed for the leadership role and took control without a leadership contest.

The election on 5 May 2005 saw Labour win their historic third successive term in power, though their majority now stood at 66 seats – compared to 167 four years earlier – and they failed to gain any new seats. Blair had already declared that the new term in parliament would be his last.

Cabinets

These are the cabinets under Prime Minister Tony Blair (from May 1997 to June 2007).

May 1997 to June 2001

Also attending Cabinet:

Nick Brown – Chief Whip
John Morris – Attorney General

Changes

July 1998 – Margaret Beckett becomes Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons. Baroness Jay of Paddington becomes Lord 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 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 – Peter Mandelson is sacked from the cabinet over a secret home loan he received from Geoffrey Robinson. Stephen Byers becomes Trade & Industry Secretary. Alan Milburn becomes Chief Secretary to the Treasury.
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. Lord Williams of Mostyn becomes Attorney General. John Morris, George Robertson, Jack Cunningham and Frank Dobson leave the cabinet.
January 2001 – Peter Mandelson is sacked as Northern Ireland Secretary and is succeeded by John Reid. Helen Liddell enters the cabinet and succeeds John Reid as Scottish Secretary.

June 2001 to May 2005

Tony Blair – Prime Minister, First Lord of the Treasury and Minister for the Civil Service:
John Prescott – Deputy Prime Minister and First Secretary of State
Gordon Brown – Chancellor of the Exchequer and Second Lord of the Treasury
The Lord Irvine of Lairg – Lord Chancellor
Robin Cook – Lord President of the Council & Leader of the House of Commons
The Lord Williams of Mostyn – Lord Privy Seal & Leader of the House of Lords
Andrew Smith – Chief Secretary to the Treasury
Jack Straw – Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs
David Blunkett – Secretary of State for the Home Department
Margaret Beckett – Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Stephen Byers – Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions
Alan Milburn – Secretary of State for Health
Geoff Hoon – Secretary of State for Defence
Alistair Darling – Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
Estelle Morris – Secretary of State for Education and Skills
Patricia Hewitt – Secretary of State for Trade and Industry and Minister for Women and Equality
Tessa Jowell – Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
Clare Short – Secretary of State for International Development
John Reid – Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
Helen Liddell – Secretary of State for Scotland
Paul Murphy – Secretary of State for Wales
Charles Clarke – Minister without Portfolio and Labour Party chairman

Also attending Cabinet:

Hilary Armstrong – Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury and Government Chief Whip
Lord Goldsmith – Attorney General

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 and 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 becomes Minister without Portfolio and Labour Party chairman. Paul Murphy becomes Northern Ireland Secretary. Peter Hain becomes Welsh Secretary.
March 2003 – Robin Cook resigns. John Reid becomes Lord President of the Council & Leader of the House of Commons. Ian McCartney becomes Minister without Portfolio and Labour Party chairman.
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 Lord Privy Seal & 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 Lord President of the Council & 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.

May 2005 to June 2007

Tony Blair – Prime Minister, First Lord of the Treasury and Minister for the Civil Service:
John Prescott – Deputy Prime Minister and First Secretary of State
Gordon Brown – Chancellor of the Exchequer and Second Lord of the Treasury
The Lord Falconer of Thoroton – Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs and Lord Chancellor
Charles Clarke – Home Secretary
Jack Straw – Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs
Geoff Hoon – Leader of the House of Commons and Lord Privy Seal
The Baroness Amos – Leader of the House of Lords and Lord President of the Council
Tessa Jowell – Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport and Minister for the Olympics
John Reid – Secretary of State for Defence
Ruth Kelly – Secretary of State for Education and Skills
Margaret Beckett – Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Patricia Hewitt – Secretary of State for Health
Hilary Benn – Secretary of State for International Development
Peter Hain – Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and Secretary of State for Wales
Alan Johnson – Secretary of State for Trade and Industry
Alistair Darling – Secretary of State for Transport and Secretary of State for Scotland
David Blunkett – Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
John Hutton – Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (Cabinet Office)
Des Browne – Chief Secretary to the Treasury
Ian McCartney – Minister Without Portfolio and Party Chair

Also attending Cabinet:

David Miliband – Minister of State for Communities and Local Government
Hilary Armstrong – Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury and Government Chief Whip

Changes

November 2005 – David Blunkett resigns his post as Secretary of State for Work and Pensions. He is replaced by John Hutton, leaving the post of Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster vacant for six months.
May 2006 – Following a poor showing in the local council elections, Blair reshuffles his cabinet. Charles Clarke, Geoff Hoon and Ian McCartney leave the Cabinet. Jack Straw becomes Leader of the House of Commons and Lord Privy Seal. Margaret Beckett is promoted to Foreign Secretary, John Reid to Home Secretary, David Miliband to Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and Des Browne to Secretary of State for Defence. Ruth Kelly takes a new post of Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, which replaces the post held by David Miliband and takes a number of responsibilities previously held by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister; Kelly will also serve as Minister for Women and Equality. Alan Johnson becomes Secretary of State for Education and Skills. Alistair Darling becomes Secretary of State for Trade and Industry. Hilary Armstrong becomes Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Minister for the Cabinet Office and Minister for Social Exclusion. Douglas Alexander enters the Cabinet as Secretary of State for Transport and Secretary of State for Scotland. Hazel Blears enters the Cabinet as Minister Without Portfolio and Party Chair, Stephen Timms as Chief Secretary to the Treasury and Jacqui Smith as Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury and Chief Whip.

Further information: 2006 United Kingdom Cabinet reshuffle

May 2007 – The Home Office loses responsibility for criminal justice, prisons & probation and legal affairs which merges into the Department for Constitutional Affairs with Lord Falconer becoming Secretary of State for Justice.

List of Ministers

Members of the Cabinet are in bold face.

Office	Name	Dates	Notes
Prime Minister First Lord of the Treasury Minister for the Civil Service	Tony Blair	2 May 1997 – 24 June 2007
Deputy Prime Minister	John Prescott	2 May 1997
Lord Chancellor	Derry Irvine	2 May 1997 – 12 June 2003
Lord Chancellor	Charles Falconer	12 June 2003	Also Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs until 9 May 2007 and Secretary of State for Justice from 9 May 2007
Lord President of the Council	Ann Taylor	2 May 1997 – 27 July 1998
	Margaret Beckett	27 July 1998 – 8 June 2001
	Robin Cook	8 June 2001 – 18 March 2003
	John Reid	18 March 2003 – 13 June 2003
	Gareth Williams	13 June 2003 – 20 September 2003
	Valerie Amos	20 September 2003
Leader of the House of Commons	Ann Taylor	2 May 1997 – 27 July 1998
	Margaret Beckett	27 July 1998 – 8 June 2001
	Robin Cook	8 June 2001 – 18 March 2003
	John Reid	18 March 2003 – 13 June 2003
	Peter Hain	13 June 2003 – 6 May 2005
	Geoff Hoon	6 May 2005 – 5 May 2006
	Jack Straw	5 May 2006
Leader of the House of Lords	Ivor Richard	2 May 1997 – 27 July 1998
	Margaret Jay	27 July 1998 – 8 June 2001
	Gareth Williams	8 June 2001 – 20 September 2003
	Valerie Amos	20 September 2003
Lord Privy Seal	Ivor Richard	2 May 1997 – 27 July 1998
	Margaret Jay	27 July 1998 – 8 June 2001
	Gareth Williams	8 June 2001 – 13 June 2003
	Peter Hain	13 June 2003 – 6 May 2005
	Geoff Hoon	6 May 2005 – 5 May 2006
	Jack Straw	5 May 2006
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Minister for the Cabinet Office	David Clark	2 May 1997 – 27 July 1998
	Jack Cunningham	27 July 1998 – 11 October 1999
	Mo Mowlam	11 October 1999 – 11 June 2001
	Gus Macdonald	11 June 2001 – 13 June 2003
	Douglas Alexander	13 June 2003 – 8 September 2004
	Alan Milburn	8 September 2004 – 6 May 2005
	John Hutton	6 May 2005 – 2 November 2005
	Jim Murphy	5 November 2005 – 5 May 2006	Acting
	Hilary Armstrong	5 May 2006
Minister of State for the Cabinet Office	Derek Foster	2 May 1997 – 6 May 1997	Minister of State at the Office of Public Service
	Peter Kilfoyle	6 May 1997 – 28 July 1999	Minister of State at the Office of Public Service
	Ian McCartney	28 July 1999 – 11 June 2001
	Barbara Roche	11 June 2001 – 29 May 2002
	Douglas Alexander	29 May 2002 – 13 June 2003
Government Chief Whip Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury	Nick Brown	2 May 1997 – 27 July 1998
	Ann Taylor	27 July 1998 – 8 June 2001
	Hilary Armstrong	8 June 2001 – 5 May 2006
	Jacqui Smith	5 May 2006
Chancellor of the Exchequer	Gordon Brown	2 May 1997
Chief Secretary to the Treasury	Alistair Darling	2 May 1997 – 27 July 1998
	Stephen Byers	27 July 1998 – 23 December 1998
	Alan Milburn	23 December 1998 – 11 October 1999
	Andrew Smith	11 October 1999 – 29 May 2002
	Paul Boateng	29 May 2002 – 6 May 2005
	Des Browne	6 May 2005 – 5 May 2006
	Stephen Timms	5 May 2006 – 27 June 2007
Paymaster General	Geoffrey Robinson	2 May 1997 – 23 December 1998
Paymaster General	Dawn Primarolo	4 January 1999
Financial Secretary to the Treasury	Dawn Primarolo	2 May 1997 – 4 January 1999
	Barbara Roche	4 January 1999 – 29 July 1999
	Stephen Timms	29 July 1999 – 8 June 2001
	Paul Boateng	8 June 2001 – 28 May 2002
	Ruth Kelly	28 May 2002 – 9 September 2004
	Stephen Timms	9 September 2004 – 6 May 2005
	John Healey	6 May 2005
Economic Secretary to the Treasury	Helen Liddell	2 May 1997 – 27 July 1998
	Patricia Hewitt	27 July 1998 – 17 May 1999
	Melanie Johnson	17 May 1999 – 8 June 2001
	Ruth Kelly	8 June 2001 – 15 May 2002
	John Healey	15 May 2002 – 6 May 2005
	Ivan Lewis	6 May 2005 – 6 May 2006
	Ed Balls	6 May 2006
Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs	Robin Cook	2 May 1997 – 8 June 2001
	Jack Straw	8 June 2001 – 6 May 2006
	Margaret Beckett	6 May 2006
Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs	Derek Fatchett	2 May 1997 – 9 May 1999
	Tony Lloyd	2 May 1997 – 28 July 1999
	Geoff Hoon	9 May 1999 – 28 July 1999
	John Battle	28 July 1999 – 11 June 2001
	Peter Hain	28 July 1999 – 24 January 2001
	Brian Wilson	24 January 2001 – 11 June 2001
	Ben Bradshaw	11 June 2001 – 29 May 2002
	Denis MacShane	11 June 2001 – 3 April 2002
	Bill Rammell	3 April 2002 – 11 May 2005
	Mike O'Brien	29 May 2002 – 13 June 2003
	Chris Mullin	13 June 2003 – 11 May 2005
	Kim Howells	11 May 2005
Minister of State for Europe	Doug Henderson	2 May 1997 – 28 July 1998
	Joyce Quin	28 July 1998 – 28 July 1999
	Geoff Hoon	28 July 1999 – 11 October 1999
	Keith Vaz	11 October 1999 – 11 June 2001
	Peter Hain	11 June 2001 – 24 October 2002
	Denis MacShane	24 October 2002 – 11 May 2005
	Douglas Alexander	11 May 2005 – 8 May 2006
	Geoff Hoon	8 May 2006
Secretary of State for the Home Department	Jack Straw	2 May 1997 – 8 June 2001
	David Blunkett	8 June 2001 – 15 December 2004
	Charles Clarke	15 December 2004 – 5 May 2006
	John Reid	5 May 2006
Minister of State for Home Affairs	Alun Michael	2 May 1997 – 27 October 1998
	Paul Boateng	27 October 1998 – 8 June 2001	Minister of State for Policing
	John Denham	8 June 2001 – 12 June 2003
	Hazel Blears	12 June 2003 – 5 May 2006	Minister of State for Crime Reduction, Policing, Community Safety and Counter-Terrorism
	Tony McNulty	5 May 2006	Minister of State for Security, Counterterrorism, Crime and Policing
Minister of State for Prisons	Joyce Quin	2 May 1997 – 28 July 1998
	Gareth Williams	28 July 1998 – 29 July 1999
	Charles Clarke	29 July 1999 – 8 June 2001
	Keith Bradley	8 June 2001 – 29 May 2002
	Hilary Benn	29 May 2002 – 13 May 2003
	Patricia Scotland	13 June 2003 – 6 May 2005	Minister of State for the Criminal Justice System and Law Reform
Under-Secretary of State for Immigration	Mike O'Brien	5 May 1997 – 29 July 1999
Minister of State for Asylum and Immigration	Barbara Roche	29 July 1999 – 11 June 2001
	Jeff Rooker	11 June 2001 – 29 May 2002
	Beverley Hughes	29 May 2002 – 1 April 2004	Minister of State for Immigration, Citizenship and Counterterrorism
	Des Browne	1 April 2004 – 6 May 2005	Minister of State for Immigration, Citizenship and Counterterrorism
	Tony McNulty	6 May 2005 – 5 May 2006	Minister of State for Immigration, Citizenship and Nationality
	Liam Byrne	5 May 2006	Minister of State for Borders and Immigration
Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions	John Prescott	2 May 1997 – 8 June 2001	Office Abolished 8 June 2001
Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs	Margaret Beckett	8 June 2001 – 5 May 2006	Office Created 8 June 2001
Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs	David Miliband	5 May 2006
Minister for the Environment	Michael Meacher	2 May 1997 – 13 June 2003
	Richard Caborn	2 May 1997 – 20 October 1999	Minister for Regions, Regeneration & Planning
	Nick Raynsford	20 October 1999 - 8 June 2001
	Alun Michael	8 June 2001 – 6 May 2005	Minister for Rural Affairs
	Elliot Morley	13 June 2003 – 5 May 2006
Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food	Jack Cunningham	2 May 1997 – 27 July 1998
	Nick Brown	27 July 1998 – 8 June 2001
	Margaret Beckett	8 June 2001 – 27 March 2002	Office merged with Secretary of State for the Environment on 8 June 2001 and formally abolished on 27 March 2002
Minister of State for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food	Jeff Rooker	2 May 1997 – 28 July 1999
Minister of State for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food	Joyce Quin	28 July 1999 – 11 June 2001
Secretary of State for Defence	George Robertson	2 May 1997 – 11 October 1999
	Geoff Hoon	11 October 1999 – 6 May 2005
	John Reid	6 May 2005 – 5 May 2006
	Des Browne	5 May 2006
Minister of State for the Armed Forces	John Reid	2 May 1997 – 27 July 1998
	Doug Henderson	27 July 1998 – 29 July 1999
	John Spellar	29 July 1999 – 11 June 2001
	Adam Ingram	11 June 2001 – 29 June 2007
Minister of State for Defence Procurement	John Gilbert	2 May 1997 – 29 July 1999
	Elizabeth Symons	29 July 1999 – 8 June 2001
	William Bach	8 June 2001 – 6 May 2005
	Paul Drayson	6 May 2005
Secretary of State for Education and Employment	David Blunkett	2 May 1997 – 8 June 2001
Secretary of State for Education and Skills	Estelle Morris	8 June 2001 – 24 October 2002
	Charles Clarke	24 October 2002 – 15 December 2004
	Ruth Kelly	15 December 2004 – 5 May 2006
	Alan Johnson	5 May 2006
Minister for Schools	Stephen Byers	2 May 1997 – 18 July 1998	Minister for School Standards
	Estelle Morris	18 July 1998 – 11 June 2001
	Stephen Timms	11 June 2001 – 24 October 2002
	David Miliband	24 October 2002 – 16 December 2004
	Stephen Twigg	16 December 2004 – 6 May 2005
	Jacqui Smith	6 May 2005 – 5 May 2006
	Jim Knight	5 May 2006	Minister of State for Schools and Learners
Minister of State for Employment and Disability Rights	Andrew Smith	2 May 1997 – 11 October 1999
Minister of State for Employment and Disability Rights	Tessa Jowell	11 October 1999 – 11 June 2001
Minister for Higher Education	Margaret Hodge	11 June 2001 – 13 June 2003	Minister for Universities
	Alan Johnson	13 June 2003 – 8 September 2004
	Kim Howells	8 September 2004 – 11 May 2005
	Bill Rammell	11 May 2005
Minister for Children	Margaret Hodge	13 June 2003 – 11 May 2005
	Maria Eagle	11 May 2005 – 8 May 2006
	Beverley Hughes	8 May 2006
Secretary of State for Health	Frank Dobson	2 May 1997 – 11 October 1999
	Alan Milburn	11 October 1999 – 13 June 2003
	John Reid	13 June 2003 – 6 May 2005
	Patricia Hewitt	6 May 2005 – 27 June 2007
Minister of State for Health	Alan Milburn	2 May 1997 – 23 December 1998
	John Denham	23 December 1998 - 11 June 2001	Minister of State for Health Services
	Jacqui Smith	11 June 2001 - 13 June 2003
	Rosie Winterton	13 June 2003	Minister of State for Health Services;
	John Hutton	13 June 2003 – 6 May 2005
	Jane Kennedy	6 May 2005 – 8 May 2006
	Andy Burnham	8 May 2006
Minister for Public Health	Tessa Jowell	2 May 1997 – 11 October 1999
	John Hutton	11 October 1999 – 13 June 2003
	Melanie Johnson	13 June 2003 – 6 May 2005	Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State
	Caroline Flint	6 May 2005	Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Until 8 May 2006)
Secretary of State for Social Security	Harriet Harman	2 May 1997 – 27 July 1998
Secretary of State for Social Security	Alistair Darling	27 July 1998 - 8 June 2001	Office Abolished 8 June 2001
Secretary of State for Work and Pensions	Alistair Darling	8 June 2001 - 29 May 2002	Office Created 8 June 2001
	Andrew Smith	29 May 2002 – 8 September 2004
	Alan Johnson	8 September 2004 – 6 May 2005
	David Blunkett	6 May 2005 – 2 November 2005
	John Hutton	2 November 2005
Minister of State for Pensions	Frank Field	2 May 1997 – 27 July 1998	Minister for Welfare Reform
	John Denham	27 July 1998 – 23 December 1998
	Stephen Timms	23 December 1998 – 29 July 1999
	Jeff Rooker	29 July 1999 – 11 June 2001
	Ian McCartney	11 June 2001 – 4 April 2003
	Malcolm Wicks	13 June 2003 – 10 May 2005
	Stephen Timms	10 May 2005 – 5 May 2006
	James Purnell	5 May 2006	Minister for Pensions Reform
Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport	Chris Smith	2 May 1997 - 8 June 2001
Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport	Tessa Jowell	8 June 2001 - 27 June 2007
Minister for the Arts	Mark Fisher	2 May 1997 - 14 June 1998	Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State
	Alan Howarth	14 June 1998 - 8 June 2001
	Tessa Blackstone	8 June 2001 - 13 June 2003
	Estelle Morris	13 June 2003 - 10 May 2005
	David Lammy	10 May 2005 - 28 June 2007	Minister of State for Culture
Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions	Stephen Byers	8 June 2001 – 29 May 2002	Formed after Department for the Environment, Transport and the Regions was Dissolved in 2001
Secretary of State for Transport	Alistair Darling	29 May 2002 – 5 May 2006	Formed after Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions was Dissolved in 2002
Secretary of State for Transport	Douglas Alexander	5 May 2006
Minister of State for Transport	Gavin Strang	2 May 1997 – 18 June 1998
	John Reid	18 June 1998 – 17 May 1999	Attended Cabinet
	Helen Liddell	17 May 1999 – 29 July 1999
	Gus Macdonald	29 July 1999 – 8 June 2001	Attended Cabinet
	John Spellar	8 June 2001 – 12 June 2003	Attended Cabinet
	Kim Howells	12 June 2003 – 10 September 2004
	Tony McNulty	10 September 2004 – 9 May 2005
	Stephen Ladyman	9 May 2005

References

↑ "Germany's recession ends". BBC News. 23 May 2002.
↑ "French economy in trouble". BBC News. 20 August 2003.

General

D. Butler and G. Butler (ed.). Twentieth Century British Political Facts 1900–2000.

External links

The Public Whip – Ministerial Whirl tool showing Tony Blair's Cabinet changes since 1997 (java applet)

Preceded by Major ministry	Government of the United Kingdom 1997–2007	Succeeded by Brown ministry

British governments

18th century	Godolphin–Marlborough Harley Townshend First Stanhope–Sunderland Second Stanhope–Sunderland Walpole–Townshend Walpole Carteret Broad Bottom First Newcastle Pitt–Devonshire 1757 caretaker Second Newcastle Bute Grenville First Rockingham Chatham Grafton North Second Rockingham Shelburne Fox–North Coalition First Pitt the Younger

19th century	Addington Second Pitt the Younger Ministry of All the Talents Second Portland Perceval Liverpool Canning Goderich Wellington Grey First Melbourne Wellington Caretaker First Peel Second Melbourne Second Peel First Russell Who? Who? Aberdeen First Palmerston Second Derby Second Palmerston Second Russell Third Derby First Disraeli First Gladstone Second Disraeli Second Gladstone First Salisbury Third Gladstone Second Salisbury Fourth Gladstone Rosebery Third Salisbury

20th century	Balfour Campbell-Bannerman First Asquith Second Asquith Lloyd George Bonar Law First Baldwin First MacDonald Second Baldwin Second MacDonald First National Second National Third National Fourth National Chamberlain War Churchill War Churchill Caretaker Attlee Third Churchill Eden Macmillan Douglas-Home First Wilson Heath Second Wilson Callaghan First Thatcher Second Thatcher Third Thatcher Major Blair

21st century	Brown First Cameron Second Cameron

Current ministry

Tony Blair

Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (1997–2007) Leader of the Labour Party (1994–2007) Leader of the Opposition (1994–1997) MP for Sedgefield (1983–2007) Born 6 May 1953 (age 61)

Politics	Premiership Blair ministry Blair–Brown deal Electoral history Shadow Cabinet of Tony Blair

Ideology	Blairism New Labour Third Way

General elections	1997 2001 2005

Party election	1994

Shadow Cabinet elections	1992 1993

Post-premiership	Quartet on the Middle East Africa Progress Panel Tony Blair Faith Foundation Commission for Africa

Books	A Journey

Family	Cherie Blair (wife) Euan Blair (son) Nicky Blair (son) Kathryn Blair (daughter) Leo Blair (son) Leo Blair (father) Hazel Blair (mother) William Blair (brother)

Cultural depictions	The Tony Blair Witch Project (2000) The Deal (2003) "The Regina Monologues" (2004) The Queen (2006) The Blair Years (2007) The Trial of Tony Blair (2007) The Special Relationship (2010) The Hunt for Tony Blair (2011) The Killing of Tony Blair (forthcoming)

Related topics	Ugly Rumours Respect agenda Blatcherism Cool Britannia Blair babe Tony's Cronies

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New Labour

Key figures	Tony Blair Peter Mandelson Alastair Campbell Gordon Brown Anthony Giddens Anthony Crosland Philip Gould David Sainsbury

Political ethos	Blairism Third Way Blatcherism Brownism

General elections	1997 2001 2005 2010 (Post-election events)

Government	Premiership of Tony Blair Blair ministry Chancellorship of Gordon Brown Premiership of Gordon Brown Brown ministry

Publications	The Future of Socialism A Journey The Third Man: Life at the Heart of New Labour The Blair Years The Purple Book

Related topics	Labour Co-ordinating Committee Blair–Brown deal New Labour, New Life For Britain New Labour, New Danger Things Can Only Get Better Progress Tony's Cronies

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