Brown overhauls British Cabinet

Published: June 28, 2007 at 11:43 PM

LONDON, June 28 (UPI) -- British Prime Minister Gordon Brown Thursday announced his new Labor Cabinet in London, including the first female home secretary.

Brown, installed Wednesday as prime minister to replace the retiring Tony Blair, made a close to clean sweep, leaving only two members of Blair's cabinet in their previous positions, the BBC reported.

Jacqui Smith's appointment as home secretary puts her in charge of immigration for all of Britain and of internal affairs, especially the prison system, in England and Wales.

David Miliband moves from environment secretary to foreign secretary, replacing Margaret Beckett. At 41, he is the youngest in the post in many years.

His younger brother, Ed, was named secretary of state for the Cabinet Office.

As his own replacement as chancellor, or finance minister, Brown named Alistair Darling, as widely anticipated by British media.

Jack Straw, a former home secretary and foreign secretary was named to the justice seat, while one of Brown's former economic advisers, Ed Balls, was given the newly created post of schools and children secretary, the BBC said.

Brown's cabinet has fewer women -- five -- than Blair's did. The Scottish prime minister has also appointed fewer Scots than Blair did.

© 2007 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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