Brown unveils new government
Friday, 29 June 2007
LONDON (Reuters) : Britain's new prime minister, Gordon Brown, appointed a trusted ally as finance minister Thursday and promoted a rising star to the key post of foreign minister in a wide-ranging government shakeup.
Former environment minister David Miliband (41), a reported critic of the Iraq war and once mooted as a leadership rival to Brown, was appointed foreign secretary, while loyal ally Alistair Darling (53), succeeds Brown at the Treasury.
Brown, who switched from finance minister to prime minister Wednesday after Tony Blair resigned, acknowledged he must meet a demand for change from an electorate tired with 10 years of Labour Party rule, and draw a line under the unpopular Iraq war.
Analysts said the appointments of Darling and Miliband signaled no change in economic policy after Brown's successful decade-long tenure as finance minister, but a shift of tone in foreign affairs.
Brown has accepted responsibility for the cabinet decision to back the invasion of Iraq but will want to distance his government from Blair's approach, which was deeply unpopular among voters.
Former environment minister David Miliband (41), a reported critic of the Iraq war and once mooted as a leadership rival to Brown, was appointed foreign secretary, while loyal ally Alistair Darling (53), succeeds Brown at the Treasury.
Brown, who switched from finance minister to prime minister Wednesday after Tony Blair resigned, acknowledged he must meet a demand for change from an electorate tired with 10 years of Labour Party rule, and draw a line under the unpopular Iraq war.
Analysts said the appointments of Darling and Miliband signaled no change in economic policy after Brown's successful decade-long tenure as finance minister, but a shift of tone in foreign affairs.
Brown has accepted responsibility for the cabinet decision to back the invasion of Iraq but will want to distance his government from Blair's approach, which was deeply unpopular among voters.