THE NEW Labour government was nearly complete late yesterday and its leading lights were starting to flex their muscles.
On the eve of his 44th birthday, Mr Tony Blair, Britain's youngest prime minister since 1812, was due to finish the last round of loo or so appointments by completing his choice of middle ranking and junior ministers, rewarding his supporters as expected.
With education a priority of the new government, several rising stars of New Labour got their reward. Most notable was Mr Stephen Byers (43), appointed Minister of State for education, with special responsibility for school standards.
Last year Mr Byers was reported to have said Labour was preparing to end the party's links with the unions after the general election - a major gaffe - but this has clearly done him no long term harm.
In another notable appointment, Glenda Jackson, the former actress and Oscar winner, was made undersecretary of state for the environment and transport.
In the same department is Lady Tessa Blackstone, a well known Blairite, now Minister of State in charge of further and higher education.
Ms Tessa Jowell, another close ally of the Prime Minister, was made Minister of State at the Department of Health, a job she shadowed in opposition.
Ms Joyce Quin, former deputy to the Foreign Secretary, Mr Robin Cook, and tipped to be European minister (but passed over in favour of Mr Doug Henderson), has been made Minister of State at the Foreign Office.
One surprise appointment was the selection of the maverick Labour MP, Mr Tony Banks, as Minister for Sport. The posting even astonished Mr Banks, the former chairman of the now defunct Greater London Council, who has not had a front bench job since 1993.
The news had not been announced by Downing Street, but leaked out because a television crew was filming at his house when he took a phone call from Mr Blair yesterday afternoon.
Mr Banks (54) is one of Westminster's most colourful characters and is known for his deadpan delivery of across the chamber witticisms.
Meanwhile, Mr Blair asked the press to allow his children the privacy to lead as normal a life as possible once they have finished moving into their new home.
The plea came in a letter from Downing Street to media editors which also thanked them for their coverage of the family during the election.
Yesterday the Blairs moved into the flat at Number 11 Downing Street, the traditional residence of the Chancellor of the Exchequer, because the flat at Number 10 is not big enough.
. The race for the leadership of the Conservative Party continued yesterday, with the Hong Kong Governor, Mr Chris Patten, effectively ruling himself out of the contest.
He let it be known that he plans to stay at his post in Hong Kong until after the likely ballot. He also intends to spend six months in France writing a book.
The former Home Secretary, Mr Michael Howard, and the Eurosceptic former Welsh Secretary, Mr John Redwood, will announce later today they are joining the battle for the leadership of the Conservative Party.
They will join Mr Kenneth Clarke and Mr Peter Lilley as declared candidates.
Both Mr Howard and Mr Redwood have decided to stand after telephone consultations with MPs showed they have the support to mount a challenge.
It is understood Mr Howard plans to campaign as the candidate with a "track record" in government. He will announce his candidature at a Westminster news conference later today.