First 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.
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.

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. 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

Members of the Cabinet are in bold face.

Prime Minister, the Cabinet Office and non-departmental ministers

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
Chief Secretary to the Treasury	Stephen Byers	July 1998 – December 1998
Chief Secretary to the Treasury	Alan Milburn	December 1998 – October 1999
Chief Secretary to the Treasury	Andrew Smith	October 1999 – June 2001
Paymaster General	Geoffrey Robinson	May 1997 – December 1998
Paymaster General	Dawn Primarolo	January 1999 – June 2001
Financial Secretary to the Treasury	Dawn Primarolo	May 1997 – January 1999
Financial Secretary to the Treasury	Barbara Roche	January 1999 – July 1999
Financial Secretary to the Treasury	Stephen Timms	July 1999 – June 2001
Economic Secretary to the Treasury	Helen Liddell	May 1997 – July 1998
Economic Secretary to the Treasury	Patricia Hewitt	July 1998 – May 1999
Economic Secretary to the Treasury	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
Minister of State for Foreign Affairs	John Battle	July 1999 – June 2001
Minister of State for Europe	Doug Henderson	May 1997 – July 1998
Minister of State for Europe	Joyce Quin	July 1998 – July 1999
Minister of State for Europe	Geoff Hoon	July 1999 – October 1999
Minister of State for Europe	Keith Vaz	October 1999 – June 2001
Minister of State for Africa	Derek Fatchett	May 1997 – May 1999
Minister of State for Africa	Geoff Hoon	May 1999 – July 1999
Minister of State for Africa	Peter Hain	July 1999 – January 2001
Minister of State for Africa	Brian Wilson	January 2001 – June 2001
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs	The Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean	May 1997 – June 1999
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs	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
Minister of State for Home Affairs	Paul Boateng	October 1998 – June 2001
Minister of State for Prisons	Joyce Quin	May 1997 – July 1998
Minister of State for Prisons	The Lord Williams of Mostyn	July 1998 – July 1999
Minister of State for Prisons	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
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Home Affairs	Kate Hoey	July 1998 – July 1999
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Home Affairs	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
Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions	John Prescott	May 1997 – June 2001
Minister of State for the Environment	Michael Meacher	May 1997 – June 2001
Minister of State for Transport	Gavin Strang	May 1997 – June 1998
Minister of State for Transport	John Reid	June 1998 – May 1999
Minister of State for Transport	Helen Liddell	May 1999 – July 1999
Minister of State for Transport	The Lord Macdonald of Tradeston	July 1999 – June 2001
Minister of State for Housing and Planning	Hilary Armstrong	May 1997 – July 1999
Minister of State for Housing and Planning	Nick Raynsford	July 1999 – June 2001
Minister of State for the Regions	Richard Caborn	May 1997 – July 1999
Minister of State for the Regions	Nick Raynsford	July 1999 – June 2001
Minister for London	Nick Raynsford	May 1997 – July 1999
Minister for London	Keith Hill	July 1999 – June 2001
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport	Glenda Jackson	May 1997 – July 1999
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport	Keith Hill	July 1999 – June 2001
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Roads	The Baroness Hayman	May 1997 – July 1998
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Roads	The Lord Whitty	July 1998 – June 2001
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Construction	Nick Raynsford	May 1997 – July 1999

Office	Name	Date
Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food	Jack Cunningham	May 1997 – July 1998
Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food	Nick Brown	July 1998 – June 2001
Minister of State for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food	Jeff Rooker	May 1997 – July 1999
Minister of State for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food	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
Secretary of State for Defence	Geoff Hoon	October 1999 – June 2001
Minister of State for the Armed Forces	John Reid	May 1997 – July 1998
Minister of State for the Armed Forces	Doug Henderson	July 1998 – July 1999
Minister of State for the Armed Forces	John Spellar	July 1999 – June 2001
Minister of State for Defence Procurement	The Lord Gilbert	May 1997 – July 1999
Minister of State for Defence Procurement	The Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean	July 1999 – June 2001
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence	John Spellar	May 1997 – July 1999
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence	Peter Kilfoyle	July 1999 – January 2000
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence	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
Minister of State for School Standards	Estelle Morris	July 1998 – June 2001
Minister of State for Employment and Disability Rights	Andrew Smith	May 1997 – October 1999
Minister of State for Employment and Disability Rights	Tessa Jowell	October 1999 – June 2001
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education and Employment	Estelle Morris	May 1997 – July 1998
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education and Employment	George Mudie	July 1998 – July 1999
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education and Employment	Jacqui Smith	July 1999 – June 2001

Office	Name	Date
Secretary of State for Health	Frank Dobson	May 1997 – October 1999
Secretary of State for Health	Alan Milburn	October 1999 – June 2001
Minister of State for Health Services	Alan Milburn	May 1997 – December 1998
Minister of State for Health Services	John Denham	December 1998 – June 2001
Minister of State for Public Health	Tessa Jowell	May 1997 – October 1999
Minister of State for Public Health	John Hutton	October 1999 – June 2001
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health	The Baroness Hayman	July 1998 – July 1999
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health	Gisela Stuart	July 1999 – June 2001

Office	Name	Date
Secretary of State for Social Security	Harriet Harman	May 1997 – July 1998
Secretary of State for Social Security	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
Minister of State for Pensions	Stephen Timms	December 1998 – July 1999
Minister of State for Pensions	Jeff Rooker	July 1999 – June 2001
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Social Security	Joan Ruddock	May 1997 – July 1998
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Social Security	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
Minister for Film, Tourism and Broadcasting	Janet Anderson	July 1998 – June 2001
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Arts	Mark Fisher	May 1997 – June 1998
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Arts	Alan Howarth	June 1998 – June 2001

Office	Name	Date
Secretary of State for Trade and Industry President of the Board of Trade	Margaret Beckett	May 1997 – July 1998
Secretary of State for Trade and Industry President of the Board of Trade	Peter Mandelson	July 1998 – December 1998
Secretary of State for Trade and Industry President of the Board of Trade	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
Minister of State for Trade	Brian Wilson	July 1998 – July 1999
Minister of State for Trade	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
Minister of State for Energy and Competitiveness in Europe	Helen Liddell	July 1999 – January 2001
Minister of State for Energy and Competitiveness in Europe	Peter Hain	January 2001 – June 2001
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Trade and Industry	Nigel Griffiths	May 1997 – July 1998
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Trade and Industry	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
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for International Development	Chris Mullin	January 2001 – June 2001

Office	Name	Date
Secretary of State for Scotland	Donald Dewar	May 1997 – May 1999
Secretary of State for Scotland	John Reid	May 1999 – June 2001
Minister of State for Scotland	Henry McLeish	May 1997 – June 1999
Minister of State for Scotland	Brian Wilson	May 1997 – July 1998
Minister of State for Scotland	Helen Liddell	July 1998 – May 1999
Minister of State for Scotland	Brian Wilson	July 1999 – June 2001
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland	Malcolm Chisholm	May 1997 – December 1997
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland	Sam Galbraith	May 1997 – May 1999
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland	The Lord Sewel	May 1997 – July 1999
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland	Calum MacDonald	December 1997 – July 1999
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland	The Lord MacDonald of Tradeston	August 1998 – July 1999

Office	Name	Date
Secretary of State for Wales	Ron Davies	May 1997 – October 1998
Secretary of State for Wales	Alun Michael	October 1998 – July 1999
Secretary of State for Wales	Paul Murphy	July 1999 – June 2001
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Wales	Peter Hain	May 1997 – July 1999
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Wales	Win Griffiths	May 1997 – July 1998
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Wales	Jon Owen Jones	July 1998 – July 1999
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Wales	David Hanson	July 1999 – June 2001

Office	Name	Date
Secretary of State for Northern Ireland	Mo Mowlam	May 1997 – October 1999
Secretary of State for Northern Ireland	Peter Mandelson	October 1999 – January 2001
Secretary of State for Northern Ireland	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
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Northern Ireland	Tony Worthington	May 1997 – July 1998
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Northern Ireland	John McFall	July 1998 – December 1999
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Northern Ireland	George Howarth	July 1999 – June 2001

Law officers

Parliament

Office	Name	Date
Government Chief Whip Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury	Nick Brown	May 1997 – July 1998
Government Chief Whip Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury	Ann Taylor	July 1998 – June 2001
Deputy Chief Whip Treasurer of the Household	George Mudie	May 1997 – July 1998
Deputy Chief Whip Treasurer of the Household	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
Vice-Chamberlain of the Household	Graham Allen	July 1998 – June 2001
Government Chief Whip in the House of Lords Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms	The Lord Carter	May 1997 – June 2001
Deputy Chief Whip in the House of Lords Captain of the Yeomen of the Guard	The Lord McIntosh of Haringey	May 1997 – June 2001

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