Clarke axed in Cabinet reshuffle
Charles Clarke has been sacked as home secretary as Tony Blair
seeks to regain the initiative after a night of losses in English
local elections.
He will be replaced by Defence Secretary John Reid. Margaret
Beckett is the new foreign secretary, with Jack Straw becoming
Commons leader.
John Prescott will stay as deputy prime minister but lose his
department. Trade Secretary Alan Johnson gets education.
Labour came third in Thursday's polls, losing about 200 seats to
the Tories.
The results, among the worst Labour has ever had in a local
election, saw the party lose control of 18 local authorities.
CABINET RESHUFFLE
Foreign Secretary - Margaret Beckett
Home Secretary - John Reid
Education Secretary - Alan Johnson
Leader of the Commons - Jack Straw
Europe Minister - Geoff Hoon
Clarke defiant
Analysis: Heat on Blair
Reshuffle: At-a-glance
It has prompted the biggest reshuffle of Mr Blair's career, as he
seeks to draw a line under the scandals that have rocked his
government in recent weeks.
Mr Clarke's admission that he had lost track of 1,028 foreign
prisoners is thought to have been particularly damaging on the
doorstep.
Mr Blair said he was "sorry" to lose Mr Clarke but added: "I felt
that it was very difficult, given the level of genuine public
concern, for Charles to continue in this post."
Earlier, in a statement, Mr Clarke said he did not agree with the
prime minister's judgement, but added he would remain loyal to the
government when he returned to the backbenches.
Mr Prescott has also been accused of damaging the party after
revelations about an affair with his diary secretary.
He will remain as deputy prime minister but will be stripped of
many responsibilities. He will also continue as deputy leader of
the Labour Party.
Trade Secretary Alan Johnson, a former postman and trade union
leader, will replace Ruth Kelly as education secretary and Commons
leader Geoff Hoon will become Europe minister.
Ms Kelly will take over many of Mr Prescott's government
responsibilities, covering communities and local government.
The only senior minister to remain in his post is Chancellor Gordon
Brown, who called the local election results a "warning shot", and
said he would be speaking to Mr Blair over the weekend to plot the
way ahead.
Conservative leader David Cameron said: "It will take far more than
a reshuffle, what we need in this country is a replacement."
He said the Conservatives were "showing there is a broad-based
alternative that is building while the government is
collapsing".
Mr Cameron's party took control of 12 councils in Thursday's polls
and gained 250 seats, although they failed to make hoped-for
progress in Northern cities such as Manchester and Liverpool.
The Liberal Democrats failed to make predicted advances, gaining
less than 20 councillors, but Sir Menzies Campbell insisted it was
not a test of his leadership.
'Deckchairs on Titanic'
Some Labour backbenchers believe Mr Blair must go further than just
overhauling his team.
Former Health Secretary Frank Dobson said a reshuffle would be like
"rearranging the deckchairs on the Titanic".
"Quite frankly we need the party under new management," said Mr
Dobson.
If Thursday's polls had been held nationwide, the Tories would have
gained 40% of the vote, Lib Dems 27% and Labour 26%. Turnout is
estimated at 36% - down three points from 2004.
Among the smaller parties, the Greens have won 17 seats, with
particular success in Norwich. The British National Party doubled
its councillors, including winning 11 seats from Labour in
Barking.
Some areas will not start counting their votes until later on
Friday.