Date published: 2006/05/05
The BBC says:
Charles Clarke has been sacked as home secretary in the biggest Cabinet reshuffle of Tony Blair's career.
The prime minister is trying to regain momentum after one of the worst local election results in Labour's history.
Mr Clarke will be replaced by Defence Secretary John Reid. Margaret Beckett is the new foreign secretary, with Jack Straw becoming Commons leader.
John Prescott will stay as deputy prime minister but lose his department. Trade Secretary Alan Johnson gets education.
Labour came third in the overall share of the vote in local elections in England, losing control of 18 local authorities. The Tories were the biggest winners, gaining 316 extra councillors and 40% of the vote.
Blair is flailing around now, his days are numbered. Beckett is hardly an inspired choice for foreign secretary (but Straw was a non-foreign secretary as well, since Blair calls all the shots) and Reid is a perfect choice for being the latest worst home secretary of all time.
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