First Blair ministry
This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (June 2017) |
First Blair ministry | |
---|---|
1997–2001 | |
Date formed | 2 May 1997 |
Date dissolved | 8 June 2001 |
People and organisations | |
Monarch | Elizabeth II |
Prime Minister | Tony Blair |
Prime Minister's history | 1997–2007 |
Deputy Prime Minister | John Prescott |
Member party | |
Status in legislature | Majority 418 / 659 (63%) |
Opposition cabinet | |
Opposition party | |
Opposition leader |
|
History | |
Election | 1997 general election |
Outgoing election | 2001 general election |
Legislature terms | 52nd UK Parliament |
Budgets |
|
Predecessor | Second Major ministry |
Successor | Second Blair ministry |
The first Blair ministry lasted from May 1997 to June 2001. After eighteen years in opposition, Labour ousted the Conservatives at the May 1997 election with a 179-seat majority. The Prime Minister, Tony Blair, who turned 44 years old days after leading Labour to victory, was the youngest Prime Minister of the twentieth century. He was surpassed as the youngest Prime Minister by David Cameron who in 2010 became Prime Minister at the age of 43.
Blair quickly wiped away memories of the troubled Labour governments led by Harold Wilson and James Callaghan in the 1960s and 1970's as the economic recovery continued and unemployment continued to fall. While other developed countries, notably Japan, were hit by a financial crisis during Blair's first term in office, the British economy remained strong.[citation needed]
In September 2000, however, protests against fuel prices intensified across the country and the Leader of the Conservative Party William Hague exploited the situation by pointing out to voters just how much fuel prices had risen under Labour. This sparked a brief Conservative lead in the opinion polls – the first time in eight years – but once the fuel shortages and consequent protests ended, Labour led the opinion polls once more. Blair was so confident of re-election that he called a general election for 3 May, but this was postponed until 7 June due to the foot and mouth crisis. This led to a brief crisis in the agricultural and tourism industries, but did little to shake a still-strong economy and the electorate responded by re-electing Blair with an only slightly-reduced majority.[citation needed]
Cabinet
Changes
- July 1998 – Margaret Beckett becomes Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons. The Baroness Jay of Paddington becomes Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal, Leader of the House of Lords and Minister for Women. Stephen Byers becomes Chief Secretary to the Treasury. Ann Taylor becomes Chief Whip, which is now a cabinet position. Jack Cunningham becomes Cabinet Office Minister and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. Nick Brown becomes Agriculture Minister. Alistair Darling becomes Social Security Secretary. Peter Mandelson moves from being Minister Without Portfolio to being Trade and Industry Secretary. John Reid becomes Transport Minister, which is no longer a cabinet position (although Reid will continue attending cabinet meetings). Ivor Richard, Harriet Harman, David Clark and Gavin Strang leave the cabinet. The President of the Board of Trade is no longer a title used by the Trade Secretary.
- October 1998 – Alun Michael becomes Welsh Secretary. Ron Davies leaves the Cabinet.
- December 1998 – Peter Mandelson is dismissed from the cabinet over a secret home loan he received from Geoffrey Robinson. Stephen Byers becomes Trade & Industry Secretary. Alan Milburn becomes Chief Secretary to the Treasury.
- May 1999 – John Reid becomes Scottish Secretary. Donald Dewar leaves the cabinet.
- July 1999 – Paul Murphy becomes Welsh Secretary. Alun Michael leaves the cabinet.
- October 1999 – Andrew Smith becomes Chief Secretary to the Treasury. Geoff Hoon becomes Defence Secretary. Alan Milburn becomes Health Secretary. Peter Mandelson returns to the cabinet as Northern Ireland Secretary. Mo Mowlam becomes Cabinet Office Minister and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. Gareth Williams becomes Attorney General. John Morris, George Robertson, Jack Cunningham and Frank Dobson leave the cabinet.
- January 2001 – Peter Mandelson is dismissed as Northern Ireland Secretary and is succeeded by John Reid. Helen Liddell enters the cabinet and succeeds John Reid as Scottish Secretary.
List of ministers
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Prime Minister, the Cabinet Office and non-departmental ministers
Office | Name | Date |
---|---|---|
Tony Blair | May 1997 – June 2001 | |
Deputy Prime Minister | John Prescott | May 1997 – June 2001 |
David Clark | May 1997 – July 1998 | |
Jack Cunningham | July 1998 – October 1999 | |
Mo Mowlam | October 1999 – June 2001 | |
|
Derek Foster | May 1997 |
Peter Kilfoyle | May 1997 – July 1999 | |
Ian McCartney | July 1999 – June 2001 | |
Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain | The Lord Irvine of Lairg | May 1997 – June 2001 |
Minister Without Portfolio | Peter Mandelson | May 1997 – July 1998 |
Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Prime Minister | Ann Coffey | May 1997 – July 1998 |
Bruce Grocott | May 1997 – June 2001 |
Departments of state
Office | Name | Date |
---|---|---|
Chancellor of the Exchequer | Gordon Brown | May 1997 – June 2001 |
Chief Secretary to the Treasury | Alistair Darling | May 1997 – July 1998 |
Stephen Byers | July 1998 – December 1998 | |
Alan Milburn | December 1998 – October 1999 | |
Andrew Smith | October 1999 – June 2001 | |
Paymaster General | Geoffrey Robinson | May 1997 – December 1998 |
Dawn Primarolo | January 1999 – June 2001 | |
Financial Secretary to the Treasury | Dawn Primarolo | May 1997 – January 1999 |
Barbara Roche | January 1999 – July 1999 | |
Stephen Timms | July 1999 – June 2001 | |
Economic Secretary to the Treasury | Helen Liddell | May 1997 – July 1998 |
Patricia Hewitt | July 1998 – May 1999 | |
Melanie Johnson | May 1999 – June 2001 |
Office | Name | Date |
---|---|---|
Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs | Robin Cook | May 1997 – June 2001 |
Minister of State for Foreign Affairs | Tony Lloyd | May 1997 – July 1999 |
John Battle | July 1999 – June 2001 | |
Minister of State for Europe | Doug Henderson | May 1997 – July 1998 |
Joyce Quin | July 1998 – July 1999 | |
Geoff Hoon | July 1999 – October 1999 | |
Keith Vaz | October 1999 – June 2001 | |
Minister of State for Africa | Derek Fatchett | May 1997 – May 1999 |
Geoff Hoon | May 1999 – July 1999 | |
Peter Hain | July 1999 – January 2001 | |
Brian Wilson | January 2001 – June 2001 | |
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs | The Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean | May 1997 – June 1999 |
The Baroness Scotland of Asthal | June 1999 – June 2001 |
Office | Name | Date |
---|---|---|
Home Secretary | Jack Straw | May 1997 – June 2001 |
Minister of State for Home Affairs | Alun Michael | May 1997 – October 1998 |
Paul Boateng | October 1998 – June 2001 | |
Minister of State for Prisons | Joyce Quin | May 1997 – July 1998 |
The Lord Williams of Mostyn | July 1998 – July 1999 | |
Charles Clarke | July 1999 – June 2001 | |
Minister of State for Asylum and Immigration | Barbara Roche | July 1999 – June 2001 |
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Home Affairs | The Lord Williams of Mostyn | May 1997 – July 1998 |
Kate Hoey | July 1998 – July 1999 | |
The Lord Bassam of Brighton | July 1999 – June 2001 | |
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Immigration | Mike O'Brien | May 1997 – June 2001 |
Office | Name | Date |
---|---|---|
Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food | Jack Cunningham | May 1997 – July 1998 |
Nick Brown | July 1998 – June 2001 | |
Minister of State for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food | Jeff Rooker | May 1997 – July 1999 |
Joyce Quin | July 1999 – June 2001 | |
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Fisheries and the Countryside | Elliot Morley | May 1997 – June 2001 |
Office | Name | Date |
---|---|---|
Secretary of State for Defence | George Robertson | May 1997 – October 1999 |
Geoff Hoon | October 1999 – June 2001 | |
Minister of State for the Armed Forces | John Reid | May 1997 – July 1998 |
Doug Henderson | July 1998 – July 1999 | |
John Spellar | July 1999 – June 2001 | |
Minister of State for Defence Procurement | The Lord Gilbert | May 1997 – July 1999 |
The Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean | July 1999 – June 2001 | |
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence | John Spellar | May 1997 – July 1999 |
Peter Kilfoyle | July 1999 – January 2000 | |
Lewis Moonie | January 2000 – June 2001 |
Office | Name | Date |
---|---|---|
Secretary of State for Education and Employment | David Blunkett | May 1997 – June 2001 |
Minister of State for School Standards | Stephen Byers | May 1997 – July 1998 |
Estelle Morris | July 1998 – June 2001 | |
Minister of State for Employment and Disability Rights | Andrew Smith | May 1997 – October 1999 |
Tessa Jowell | October 1999 – June 2001 | |
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education and Employment | Estelle Morris | May 1997 – July 1998 |
George Mudie | July 1998 – July 1999 | |
Jacqui Smith | July 1999 – June 2001 |
Office | Name | Date |
---|---|---|
Secretary of State for Health | Frank Dobson | May 1997 – October 1999 |
Alan Milburn | October 1999 – June 2001 | |
Minister of State for Health Services | Alan Milburn | May 1997 – December 1998 |
John Denham | December 1998 – June 2001 | |
Minister of State for Public Health | Tessa Jowell | May 1997 – October 1999 |
John Hutton | October 1999 – June 2001 | |
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health | The Baroness Hayman | July 1998 – July 1999 |
Gisela Stuart | July 1999 – June 2001 |
Office | Name | Date |
---|---|---|
Secretary of State for Social Security | Harriet Harman | May 1997 – July 1998 |
Alistair Darling | July 1998 – June 2001 | |
Minister for Welfare Reform | Frank Field | May 1997 – July 1998 |
Minister of State for Pensions | John Denham | July 1998 – December 1998 |
Stephen Timms | December 1998 – July 1999 | |
Jeff Rooker | July 1999 – June 2001 | |
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Social Security | Joan Ruddock | May 1997 – July 1998 |
Hugh Bayley | January 1999 – June 2001 |
Office | Name | Date |
---|---|---|
Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport | Chris Smith | May 1997 – June 2001 |
Minister for Film, Tourism and Broadcasting | Tom Clarke | May 1997 – July 1998 |
Janet Anderson | July 1998 – June 2001 | |
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Arts | Mark Fisher | May 1997 – June 1998 |
Alan Howarth | June 1998 – June 2001 |
Office | Name | Date |
---|---|---|
Margaret Beckett | May 1997 – July 1998 | |
Peter Mandelson | July 1998 – December 1998 | |
Stephen Byers | December 1998 – June 2001 | |
Minister of State for Trade and Industry | John Battle | May 1997 – July 1999 |
Minister of State for Trade | The Lord Clinton-Davis | May 1997 – July 1998 |
Brian Wilson | July 1998 – July 1999 | |
Richard Caborn | July 1999 – June 2001 | |
Minister of State for Competitiveness | Ian McCartney | May 1997 – July 1999 |
Minister of State for Energy and Competitiveness in Europe | The Lord Simon of Highbury | May 1997 – July 1999 |
Helen Liddell | July 1999 – January 2001 | |
Peter Hain | January 2001 – June 2001 | |
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Trade and Industry | Nigel Griffiths | May 1997 – July 1998 |
Kim Howells | July 1998 – June 2001 |
Office | Name | Date |
---|---|---|
Secretary of State for International Development | Clare Short | May 1997 – June 2001 |
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for International Development | George Foulkes | May 1997 – January 2001 |
Chris Mullin | January 2001 – June 2001 |
Office | Name | Date |
---|---|---|
Secretary of State for Scotland | Donald Dewar | May 1997 – May 1999 |
John Reid | May 1999 – June 2001 | |
Minister of State for Scotland | Henry McLeish | May 1997 – June 1999 |
Brian Wilson | May 1997 – July 1998 | |
Helen Liddell | July 1998 – May 1999 | |
Brian Wilson | July 1999 – June 2001 | |
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland | Malcolm Chisholm | May 1997 – December 1997 |
Sam Galbraith | May 1997 – May 1999 | |
The Lord Sewel | May 1997 – July 1999 | |
Calum MacDonald | December 1997 – July 1999 | |
The Lord MacDonald of Tradeston | August 1998 – July 1999 |
Office | Name | Date |
---|---|---|
Secretary of State for Wales | Ron Davies | May 1997 – October 1998 |
Alun Michael | October 1998 – July 1999 | |
Paul Murphy | July 1999 – June 2001 | |
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Wales | Peter Hain | May 1997 – July 1999 |
Win Griffiths | May 1997 – July 1998 | |
Jon Owen Jones | July 1998 – July 1999 | |
David Hanson | July 1999 – June 2001 |
Office | Name | Date |
---|---|---|
Secretary of State for Northern Ireland | Mo Mowlam | May 1997 – October 1999 |
Peter Mandelson | October 1999 – January 2001 | |
John Reid | January 2001 – June 2001 | |
Minister of State for Northern Ireland | Adam Ingram | May 1997 – June 2001 |
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Northern Ireland | The Lord Dubs | May 1997 – December 1999 |
Tony Worthington | May 1997 – July 1998 | |
John McFall | July 1998 – December 1999 | |
George Howarth | July 1999 – June 2001 |
Law officers
Office | Name | Date |
---|---|---|
Attorney General for England and Wales | John Morris | May 1997 – July 1999 |
The Lord Williams of Mostyn | July 1999 – June 2001 | |
Solicitor General for England and Wales | The Lord Falconer of Thoroton | May 1997 – July 1998 |
Ross Cranston | July 1998 – June 2001 | |
Advocate General for Scotland | Lynda Clark | May 1999 – June 2001 |
Parliament
Office | Name | Date |
---|---|---|
Ann Taylor | May 1997 – July 1998 | |
Margaret Beckett | July 1998 – June 2001 | |
Deputy Leader of the House of Commons | Paddy Tipping | December 1999 – June 2001 |
The Lord Richard | May 1997 – July 1998 | |
The Baroness Jay of Paddington | July 1998 – June 2001 | |
Deputy Leader of the House of Lords | The Baroness Jay of Paddington | May 1997 – July 1998 |
The Lord Williams of Mostyn | October 1998 – June 2001 |
Office | Name | Date |
---|---|---|
Nick Brown | May 1997 – July 1998 | |
Ann Taylor | July 1998 – June 2001 | |
George Mudie | May 1997 – July 1998 | |
Keith Bradley | July 1998 – June 2001 | |
Comptroller of the Household | Tommy McAvoy | May 1997 – June 2001 |
Vice-Chamberlain of the Household | Janet Anderson | May 1997 – July 1998 |
Graham Allen | July 1998 – June 2001 | |
The Lord Carter | May 1997 – June 2001 | |
The Lord McIntosh of Haringey | May 1997 – June 2001 |
References
- 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[publisher missing][ISBN missing]
External links
- "Ministerial Departures since 1997 – Parliamentary Information List" (PDF). House of Commons Library. 24 February 2009.