British Prime Minister Tony Blair has appointed Labour Party chairman Dr John Reid to replace Robin Cook as his leader in parliament.
Mr Cook, the former foreign secretary, resigned from government on March 17th in protest at Mr Blair's decision to wage war on Iraq without United Nations backing.
With many members of the Labour Party still uneasy about the Iraq war, Mr Reid, a former Northern Ireland Secretary and Blair loyalist, will form a crucial bridge between government and backbenchers.
Government sources say Mr Blair is likely to reshuffle his ministerial pack much more dramatically in the summer in what would probably be the last major shake-up before the next election, expected some time in 2005.
