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Second Blair ministry

Second Blair ministry
Cabinet of the United Kingdom
2001–2005
Blair in 2002
8 June 2001 (2001-06-08)
6 May 2005 (2005-05-06)
Elizabeth II
Tony Blair
Premiership of Tony Blair
John Prescott
.mw-parser-output .plainlist ol,.mw-parser-output .plainlist ul{line-height:inherit;list-style:none;margin:0;padding:0}.mw-parser-output .plainlist ol li,.mw-parser-output .plainlist ul li{margin-bottom:0}.mw-parser-output .legend{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}.mw-parser-output .legend-color{display:inline-block;min-width:1.25em;height:1.25em;line-height:1.25;margin:1px 0;text-align:center;border:1px solid black;background-color:transparent;color:black}.mw-parser-output .legend-text{} Labour Party
Majority
Hague shadow cabinetDuncan Smith shadow cabinetHoward Shadow Cabinet
Conservative Party
William Hague (2001)Iain Duncan Smith (2001–2003)Michael Howard (2003–2005)
2001 general election
2005 general election
53rd UK Parliament
2002 budget2003 budget2004 budget2005 budget
First Blair ministry
Third Blair ministry

The second Blair ministry lasted from June 2001 to May 2005. Following the financial crisis in Japan at the end of the 1990s, there was a brief recession in other parts of the developed world including Germany, Italy and France in the early-2000s, but the UK avoided recession and continued to maintain a strong economy and low unemployment.

By the time the next general election was on the horizon, Labour were looking well positioned for a record third successive term in government. Unemployment remained low and the economy remained strong with more than a decade of unbroken growth, and education and healthcare had changed for the better as a result of expenditure by Labour.

However, the Labour government had attracted controversy by sending British troops to fight in Afghanistan in the aftermath of the 11 September terrorist attacks on the United States in 2001, and even more so when it joined the American-led invasion of Iraq eighteen months later – particularly when it emerged that the ousted Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein's alleged weapons of mass destruction were never found, and serious questions were raised about the issue of going to war. Although the regimes in both of these countries were swiftly ended by British and American troops, the remaining British forces were not withdrawn from Iraq until 2009 and not from Afghanistan until 2021.

Soon after the controversial invasion of Iraq in 2003, Labour support in the opinion polls fell and the Conservatives drew level with them in at least one poll during 2003. However, this did little to end speculation about the future of their unpopular leader Iain Duncan Smith and in October 2003, he lost a vote of no confidence and was replaced by Michael Howard, who stood unopposed for the leadership role and took control without a leadership contest.

May 2002 – Stephen Byers resigns and the Department of Transport, Local Government & the Regions is broken up. Alistair Darling becomes Secretary of State for Transport. John Prescott's Office of the Deputy Prime Minister assumes the Local Government & the Regions portfolio. Andrew Smith becomes Work and Pensions Secretary. Paul Boateng becomes Chief Secretary to the Treasury. Complete list of changes
October 2002 – Estelle Morris resigns. Charles Clarke becomes Education Secretary; John Reid becomes Minister without Portfolio and Labour Party chairman. Paul Murphy becomes Northern Ireland Secretary. Peter Hain becomes Welsh Secretary.
March 2003 – Robin Cook resigns. John Reid becomes Lord President of the Council & Leader of the House of Commons. Ian McCartney becomes Minister without Portfolio and Labour Party chairman.
May 2003 – Clare Short resigns and is succeeded by Baroness Amos as International Development Secretary.
June 2003 – In a reshuffle John Reid becomes Health Secretary. Lord Falconer of Thoroton assumes the new position of Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs, also becoming Lord Chancellor. Alistair Darling becomes Scottish Secretary remaining also Transport Secretary. Peter Hain becomes Lord Privy Seal & Leader of the House of Commons, remaining also Welsh Secretary. Alan Milburn, Lord Irvine and Helen Liddell leave the Cabinet. Complete list of changes
October 2003 – Baroness Amos becomes Lord President of the Council & Leader of the House of Lords, following the death of Lord Williams of Mostyn. Hilary Benn becomes International Development Secretary.
September 2004 – Andrew Smith resigns as Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and is succeeded by Alan Johnson. Alan Milburn returns to government with a seat in the Cabinet as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster mainly at the head of policy co-ordination; he replaces Douglas Alexander, who was not in the Cabinet.
December 2004 – David Blunkett resigns as Home Secretary and is succeeded by Charles Clarke. Ruth Kelly succeeds Clarke as Secretary of State for Education and Skills.

Column 1	Column 2
	This section needs expansion. You can help by adding missing information. (March 2016)

Cabinet Office
Prime Minister of the United KingdomFirst Lord of the TreasuryMinister for the Civil Service	June 2001 – May 2005
Deputy Prime MinisterFirst Secretary of State	June 2001 – May 2005
Minister for the Cabinet OfficeChancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster	June 2001 – June 2003
June 2003 – September 2004
September 2004 – May 2005
Minister of State for the Cabinet Office	June–November 2001
June 2001 – May 2002
May 2002 – June 2003
September–December 2004
December 2004 – May 2005
Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain	June 2001 – June 2003
June 2003 – May 2005
Lord President of the Council	June 2001 – March 2003
March 2003 – June 2003
June–September 2003
September 2003 – May 2005
Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal	June 2001 – June 2003
June 2003 – May 2005
Minister Without PortfolioChairman of the Labour Party	June 2001 – October 2002
October 2002 – April 2003
April 2003 – May 2005
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State	June 2001 – May 2002

Treasury
Chancellor of the Exchequer	June 2001 – May 2005
Chief Secretary to the Treasury	June 2001 – May 2002
May 2002 – May 2005
Paymaster General	June 2001 – May 2005
Financial Secretary to the Treasury	June 2001 – May 2002
May 2002 – September 2004
September 2004 – May 2005
Economic Secretary to the Treasury	June 2001 – May 2002
May 2002 – May 2005

Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Foreign Secretary	June 2001 – May 2005
Minister of State for the Middle East	June 2001 – May 2005
Minister of State for Europe	June 2001 – October 2002
October 2002 – May 2005
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Balkans and Latin America	June 2001 – October 2002
Minister for Trade	June 2003 – September 2004
September 2004 – May 2005
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State	June 2001 – May 2002
June 2001 – May 2003
May 2002 – June 2003
October 2002 – May 2005
June 2003 – May 2005

Home Office
Home Secretary	June 2001 – December 2004
December 2004 – May 2005
Minister of State for Policing	June 2001 – June 2003
June 2003 – May 2005
Minister of State for Prisons	June 2001 – May 2002
May 2002 – May 2003
June 2003 – May 2005
Minister of State for Immigration, Citizenship and Counterterrorism	June 2001 – May 2002
May 2002 – April 2004
April 2004 – May 2005
Minister for Criminal Policy	May 2002 – June 2003
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State	June 2001 – May 2002
June 2001 – June 2003
June 2001 – May 2002
May 2002 – June 2003
May 2002 – July 2003
May 2003 – May 2005
June 2003 – May 2005
June 2003 – May 2005

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs	June 2001 – May 2005
Minister of State for the Environment	June 2001 – June 2003
June 2003 – May 2005
Minister of State for Rural Affairs	June 2001 – May 2005
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State	June 2001 – June 2003
June 2001 – May 2005
June 2003 – May 2005
September 2004 – May 2005

Defence
Secretary of State for Defence	June 2001 – May 2005
Minister of State for the Armed Forces	June 2001 – May 2005
Minister for Defence Procurement	June 2001 – May 2005
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Veterans	June 2001 – June 2003
June 2003 – May 2005

Education and Skills
Secretary of State for Education and Skills	June 2001 – October 2002
October 2002 – December 2004
December 2004 – May 2005
Minister of State for Schools	June 2001 – October 2002
October 2002 – December 2004
December 2004 – May 2005
Minister for Higher Education	June 2001 – June 2003
June 2003 – September 2004
September 2004 – May 2005
Minister for Children	June 2003 – May 2005
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Early Years & School Standards (jointly with Work & Pensions from June 2003)	June 2001 – September 2004
September 2004 – May 2005
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Adult Skills	June 2001 – May 2002
May 2002 – May 2005
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Young People & Learning	June 2001 – May 2002
May 2002 – December 2004

Health
Secretary of State for Health	June 2001 – June 2003
June 2003 – May 2005
Minister of State for Health Services	June 2001 – June 2003
June 2003 – May 2005
Minister for Health	June 2001 – May 2005
Minister for Public Health	June 2001 – May 2002
May 2002 – June 2003
June 2003 – May 2005
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State	June 2001 – March 2003
June 2001 – June 2003
June 2003 – May 2005
June 2003 – May 2005

Work and Pensions
Secretary of State for Work and Pensions	June 2001 – May 2002
May 2002 – September 2004
September 2004 – May 2005
Minister of State for Pensions	June 2001 – April 2003
June 2003 – May 2005
Minister of State for Work	June 2001 – June 2003
June 2003 – April 2004
April 2004 – May 2005
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State	June 2001 – May 2005
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Disabled People	June 2001 – May 2005
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Work	June 2001 – June 2003
June 2003 – May 2005
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Sure Start (jointly with Education)	June 2003 – September 2004

Culture, Media and Sport
Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport	June 2001 – May 2005
Minister for the Arts	June 2001 – June 2003
June 2003 – May 2005
Minister for Sport	June 2001 – May 2005
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State	June 2001 – June 2003
June 2003 – May 2005

Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions
Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions	June 2001 – May 2002
Secretary of State for Transport	May 2002 – May 2005
Minister of State for Transport	June 2001 – June 2003
June 2003 – September 2004
September 2004 – May 2005
Minister for Local Government	June 2001 – May 2002
Minister for Housing and Planning	June 2001 – May 2002
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State	June 2001 – May 2002
June 2001 – May 2002
June 2001 – May 2005
June 2003 – September 2004
September 2004 – May 2005

Department for Constitutional Affairs
Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs	June 2003 – May 2005
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State	June 2003 – May 2005
June 2003 – May 2005
June 2003 – September 2004
June 2003 – May 2005
June 2003 – May 2005
September 2004 – May 2005

Department of Trade and Industry
Secretary of State for Trade and IndustryPresident of the Board of Trade Minister for Women	June 2001 – May 2005
Minister of State for E-Commerce & Competitiveness	June 2001 – May 2002
May 2002 – September 2004
Minister of State for Energy & E-Commerce	September 2004 – May 2005
Minister of State for Trade & Investment	June 2001 – June 2003
June 2003 – September 2004
September 2004 – May 2005
Minister of State for Industry & Energy	June 2001 – June 2003
June 2003 – May 2005
Minister of State for Employment Relations & the Regions	June 2001 – June 2003
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Science & Innovation	June 2001 – May 2005
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Competition, Consumers & Markets	June 2001 – June 2003
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Small Business	June 2001 – May 2005
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Employment Relations & Consumer Affairs	June 2003 – May 2005

International Development
Secretary of State for International Development	June 2001 – May 2003
May 2003 – October 2003
October 2003 – May 2005
Minister of State	May 2003 – October 2003
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State	June 2001 – May 2002
May 2002 – June 2003
June 2003 – May 2005

Northern Ireland Office
Secretary of State for Northern Ireland	June 2001 – October 2002
October 2002 – May 2005
Minister of State	June 2001 – April 2004
June 2003 – May 2005
April 2004 – May 2005
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State	June 2001 – June 2003
October 2002 – May 2005
October 2002 – April 2004
April 2004 – May 2005

Scotland Office
Secretary of State for Scotland	June 2001 – June 2003
June 2003 – May 2005
Minister of State	June 2001 – May 2002
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State	May 2002 – May 2005

Wales Office
Secretary of State for Wales	June 2001 – October 2002
October 2002 – May 2005
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State	June 2001 – May 2005

Office of the Deputy Prime Minister
Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, Secretary of State for Local Government and the Regions	May 2002 – May 2005
Minister of State for Local Government and the Regions	May 2002 – May 2005
Minister of State for Housing and Planning	May 2002 – June 2003
June 2003 – May 2005
Minister for Social Exclusion, Regional Co-ordination (also Deputy Minister for Women)	May 2002 – June 2003
Minister of State for Regeneration & Regional Development	June 2003 – May 2005
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Housing, Planning and Regeneration	May 2002 – June 2003
June 2003 – May 2005
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Local Government & the Regions	May 2002 – June 2003
June 2003 – May 2005

Lord Chancellors Department
Lord Chancellor	June 2001 – June 2003
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State	June 2001 – June 2003
June 2001 – May 2002
June 2001 – June 2003
May 2002 – June 2003

Law Officers
Attorney General for England and Wales	June 2001 – May 2005
Solicitor General for England and Wales	June 2001 – May 2005
Advocate General for Scotland	June 2001 – May 2005
Lord Advocate	June 2001 – May 2005
Solicitor General for Scotland	June 2001 – November 2001
November 2001 – May 2005

Parliament
Leader of the House of Commons	June 2001 – March 2003
March 2003 – June 2003
June 2003 – May 2005
Deputy Leader of the House of Commons	June 2001 – May 2002
May 2002 – June 2003
June 2003 – May 2005
Leader of the House of Lords	June 2001 – September 2003
September 2003 – May 2005
Deputy Leader of the House of Lords	June 2001 – May 2005

Whips
Government Chief WhipParliamentary Secretary to the Treasury	June 2001 – May 2005
Treasurer of HM Household (Deputy Chief Whip)	June 2001 – June 2003
June 2003 – May 2005
Comptroller of HM Household	June 2001 – May 2005
Vice-Chamberlain of the Household	June 2001 – June 2003
June 2003 – May 2005
Junior Lords of the TreasuryWhips	June 2001 – May 2002
June 2001 – May 2005
June 2001 – May 2002
June 2001 – May 2005
June 2001 – May 2002
May 2002 – June 2003
May 2002 – June 2003
May 2002 – June 2003
Oct 2002
June 2003 – May 2005
June 2003 – May 2005
June 2003 – December 2004
December 2004 – May 2005
Assistant Whips	June 2001 – May 2002
June 2001 – May 2005
June 2001 – October 2002
June 2001 – June 2003
June 2001 – May 2002
June 2001 – May 2002
June 2001 – June 2003
October 2002 – May 2005
October 2002 – December 2004
June 2003 – May 2005
June 2003 – May 2005
June 2003 – May 2005
June 2003 – May 2005
September 2004 – May 2005
Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-ArmsChief Whip	June 2001 – May 2002
May 2002 – May 2005
Captain of the Yeomen of the GuardDeputy Chief Whip	June 2001 – June 2003
June 2003 – May 2005
Lord and Baronesses-in-WaitingWhips	June 2001 – May 2005
June 2001 – June 2003
June 2001 – May 2002
June 2001 – May 2002
June 2001 – May 2005
January 2002 – May 2005
January 2002 – May 2005
June 2003 – May 2005
December 2003 – May 2005

General

Ministers in the Labour Governments: 1997–2010 – Parliamentary Information List, House of Commons Library, 3 July 2012
D. Butler and G. Butler (ed.), Twentieth Century British Political Facts 1900–2000
"Ministerial Departures since 1997 – Parliamentary Information List" (PDF). House of Commons Library. 24 February 2009.

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