1999 British cabinet reshuffle

It was considered that Health secretary Frank Dobson would stand in the 2000 London mayoral election against Labour-turned-Independent Ken Livingstone.^[2] But he denied accusations of him being moved out of government.^[3]

Mo Mowlam expected to be replaced as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland by Peter Mandelson but this did not happen until October 1999.^[4] The reshuffle was anticipated as being the cull of Old Labour and the promotion of Blairites from the 1997 general election.^[5] It was reported that Alastair Campbell, Blair's Press Secretary, had influence over changes at Cabinet level.^[6]

The reshuffle was delayed by a week following Labour's unexpected success in the 1999 Eddisbury by-election.^[7]

• 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 became a cabinet position
• Jack Cunningham becomes Cabinet Office Minister and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
• Nick Brown becomes Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
• Alistair Darling becomes Secretary of State for Social Security
• Paul Murphy promoted to Secretary of State for Wales from Minister of State for Northern Ireland
• 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)
• David Simon, Baron Simon of Highbury left as the trade minister responsible for preparing Britain joining the euro.^[8]

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