Only one senior figure replaced in shuffle `of the short knives'

When is a British Cabinet shuffle not really a Cabinet shuffle? When only one senior figure is replaced and all the key players…

When is a British Cabinet shuffle not really a Cabinet shuffle? When only one senior figure is replaced and all the key players, including the Northern Ireland Secretary, Dr Mo Mowlam, the Deputy Prime Minister, Mr John Prescott and their senior colleagues, remain firmly in place.

One commentator wryly dubbed Mr Blair's shuffle "the night of the short knives", but Mr Blair's spokesman let it be known early on that there would be radical changes at middle-ranking and junior ministerial level.

That, it seems, was the Prime Minister's intention all along, despite intense media speculation that Dr Mowlam might go, along with the Health Secretary, Mr Frank Dobson, and then Mr Prescott, who was severely criticised by a Commons Select Committee earlier this week over his failure to shake up Britain's transport policy at the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions. (DETR).

The Prime Minister's spokesman told journalists the government wanted to "strengthen the government's public service delivery, to promote existing ministers and bring new talent into the government". It was never the intention of the Prime Minister to carry out a major shuffle at this stage.

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The announcement that Mr Blair had begun his shuffle came at 6.20 p.m. and fulfilled the promise he made on Monday that he would attend to the issue of ministerial appointments in his own way and in his own time. Owing to devolution in Wales one enforced change in the Cabinet was made in the post of Secretary of State for Wales, which was held by the First Secretary of the Welsh Assembly, Mr Alun Michael. The First Secretary cannot report to himself as Secretary of State, and so the Northern Ireland Minister, Mr Paul Murphy, who is also MP for the Welsh constituency of Torfaen, replaced Mr Michael.

Shortly after 8.30 p.m. the junior transport minister, Ms Glenda Jackson, surprised political commentators when she announced her resignation and officially announced her intention to stand as Labour candidate for the Mayor of London.

PA adds: The Sports Minister, Mr Tony Banks, has resigned from the government, Downing Street confirmed last night. He will take up a new role as a special envoy for Britain's bid to host the 2006 World Cup. 992298

The Transport minister, Ms Helen Liddell, is to move to minister of state at the Department of Trade and Industry, taking on the single currency and the energy responsibilities formerly held by Lord Simon of Highbury.

Lord Simon will remain an adviser to the government.

Former television present Gus Macdonald, now Lord Macdonald of Tradeston, is to move from the Scottish Office to the Department of Transport.

The Attorney General Mr John Morris is to step down, to be replaced by Lord Williams of Mostyn, now at the Home Office.

The Industry minister, Mr John Battle, is going to the Foreign Office as minister of state to replace Mr Tony Lloyd, who has left the government.