UK NEWS
IRAQ DEATHS MAR BROWN'S FIRST DAY
Brown: Tough first day as PM
By Polly Buchanan for express.co.uk
GORDON Brown kept his promise to make dramatic changes in government today as his 'Big Clunking Fist' tore through Tony Blair's Cabinet.
Nearly a dozen big names, including Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt, Home Secretary John Reid and Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett have gone.
In their place come a string of arch-Brownites, including Britain's first female Home Secretary, Jacqui Smith.
But the new Prime Minister's first day in office was overshadowed by the deaths of three British servicemen in Iraq, including one from his own constituency of Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath.
Black Watch soldier Private James Kerr and his colleague Private Scott Kennedy, from Dunfermline - both 20 - were killed by a roadside bomb in Iraq this morning, the Ministry of Defence confirmed tonight.
Royal Welsh battalion member Corporal Paul Joszko, 28, from Mountain Ash, Wales also died. A fourth unnamed solider was seriously injured.
The soldiers died after they dismounted from their armoured Warrior patrol and came under attack in the Al Antahiya district of Basra city at about 1am local time this morning.
Mr Brown said in a statement that he was “deeply saddened” to receive the “tragic news” of their deaths.
“My thoughts and prayers are with the families of all the fallen soldiers, who died bravely serving their country,” he said.
Back in a sombre Whitehall, a string of other close political allies of Mr Brown were also given promotions in the reshuffle.
His chief advisor from the treasury, Ed Balls, is the minister for the newly depatment for Schools and Children and his wife, Yvette
Cooper becomes Housing Minister.
James Purnell takes over from Tessa Jowell as Culture Secretary.
As predicted, Alistair Darling becomes Brown's successor as Chancellor and rising star David Miliband - who refused to take on Brown for the leadership - is Britain's youngest Foreign Secretary in more than 30 years.
Alan Johnson, narrowly beaten in the race for the deputy leadership by new Leader of the Commons Harriet Harman, becomes Health Secretary. Another defeated deputy leadership contender, Peter Hain, is the new Work and Pensions chief.
Elsewhere, Ruth Kelly goes to Transport, Jack Straw is the new Justice Secretary and Hilary Benn moves to Environment.
The list of heavyweight casualties from Tony Blair's Cabinet is long.
John Reid had long since confirmed he was retiring as Home Secretary, but Margaret Beckett was told she was no longer needed as Foreign Secretary and Baroness Amos will no longer to be leader of the House of Lords.
Patricia Hewitt, who has elderly parents in Australia, said she was quitting as Health Secretary, and resigning from the government, for "personal reasons".
The new rising stars
Children, Schools and Families Secretary: Ed Balls
Cabinet Office Minister: Ed Miliband
Culture Secretary: James Purnell
Northern Ireland Secretary: Shaun Woodward
Leader of the House of Lords: Baroness Ashton
Treasury Chief Secretary: Andy Burnham
Innovation, Universities and Skills: John Denham
Leader of the Commons: Harriet Harman
Big-name departures
Prime Minister: Tony Blair
Deputy Prime Minister: John Prescott
Home Secretary: John Reid
Foreign Secretary: Margaret Beckett
Health Secretary: Patricia Hewitt
Chief Whip: Hilary Armstrong
Lord Chancellor: Lord Falconer
Attorney General: Lord Goldsmith
Treasury Chief Secretary: Stephen Timms
Leader of the House of Lords: Baroness Amos
Foreign Office Minister: Ian McCartney
Video 
P.M. CRIES HIMSELF TO SLEEP
28.06.07, 8:49pm
The new P.M. will probably cry himself to sleep tonight because Miriam and Derek refuse to recognise him as Prime Minister.
In reality he should be crying himself to sleep tonight and every night because of the succession of young people we are losing in Iraq and Afghanistan. I undertand that we cannot have an immediate withdrawal of troops because of the chaos this would create for the innocent Iraqi people but I hope that the new P.M. sets out a programme for a speedy hand over of power to the Iraqis.
Contributors to these columns have moaned for months about Tony Blair and his government now we have a change of faces who haven't yet done anything and already they are criticising them. The moaners have finally nailed their colours to the mast - they are Tories. Remember the bunch that the country couldn't wait to get rid of ten years ago?
• Posted by: BEEGEE • Report Comment
THE CLUNKING FIST
28.06.07, 4:59pm
Gordon Brown has many of the qualities of the most fanactic of the Ayatollahs...you wait and see!!!
Fun is what we wont be having for much longer!!
I think when Gordon Brown gets going, as one columist said, we'll be having salted porridge in future so have some fun while you can!!!
Mind you I think that Quentin Davies did a monstrous thing to support Labour after he had been votd in as Conservativ.
I hear a wave of sympathy from the real Conservatives who don't like Cameron, but they are quite taken aback by this.
• Posted by: Miriam • Report Comment
THE CLUNKING FIST
28.06.07, 4:09pm
He's not the Prime Minister No!
We have no Prime Minister he hasn't fulfilled his obligation to serve the full term as promised and he didn;t find a loophole and die....So the post is vacant if democracy counts for anaything!
• Posted by: Miriam • Report Comment
LET THEM DO THEIR JOBS.!!
28.06.07, 3:39pm
First impression is that Brown has made a good selection to form his new Cabinet.
I would like to have seen Ruth Kelly dropped as well, as she has been, in my opinion, a disaster in her previous posts.
All that remains if for Gordon to allow his Ministers to get on with their jobs without too much interference from him.
Unfortunately, he strikes me as a bit of a control freak. !!
• Posted by: TheWiseOne • Report Comment
THE CLUNKING FIST STRIKES...
28.06.07, 2:47pm
I do not recognise this man as prime minister of this country.
• Posted by: Derk • Report Comment
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