Her Majesty The Queen approves Cabinet changes

15 December 2004

The Queen is pleased to approve the following appointments:

Charles Clarke replaces David Blunkett as Home Secretary, while Ruth Kelly becomes Education Secretary and David Miliband moves to the Cabinet Office.

Home Office

The Right Honourable Charles Clarke MP, Secretary of State

Department for Education and Skills

Ruth Kelly MP, Secretary of State

Cabinet Office

David Miliband MP, Minister for the Cabinet Office

The Queen has also been pleased to approve that Ruth Kelly MP be appointed to the Privy Council.

The changes follow the resignation of David Blunkett as Home Secretary.

In his resignation letter to the Prime Minister, Mr Blunkett said he was proud of his achievements at the Home Office, but said that it would be 'more than he could bear' if allegations which have arisen because of his private life were to over shadow the very real achivements of the government and the Department.

The Prime Minister said Mr Blunkett had been a 'truly outstanding Cabinet Minister' as both Home Secretary and Secretary of State for Education and Employment and that he accepted Mr Blunkett's resignation with 'great regret'.

The Prime Minister added that David Blunkett had fundamentally reformed primary school education and had exceeded the Government's pledge on the New Deal. And as Home Secretary had led radical change and had reformed the criminal justice system in favour of the victim, delivered record numbers of police and further falls in crime.