On 27 July 1999, British Prime Minister Tony Blair held his first major cabinet reshuffle of his government.
Background.
It was considered that Health secretary Frank Dobson would stand in the 2000 London mayoral election against Labour-turned-Independent Ken Livingstone. But he denied accusations of him being moved out of government.
Mo Mowlam expected to be replaced as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland by Peter Mandelson but this did not happen until October 1999. The reshuffle was anticipated as being the cull of Old Labour and the promotion of Blairites from the 1997 general election. It was reported that Alastair Campbell, Blair's Press Secretary, had influence over changes at Cabinet level.
The reshuffle was delayed by a week following Labour's unexpected success in the 1999 Eddisbury by-election.
Cabinet-level changes.
Ivor Richard, Harriet Harman, David Clark and Gavin Strang left the cabinet
The President of the Board of Trade ceased to be a title used by the Trade Secretary
Reception.
The reshuffle was described as "problematic". Journalist Anne Perkins wrote in favour of scrapping cabinet reshuffles.
References.
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