This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations .(June 2017) |
First Blair ministry | |
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Cabinet of the United Kingdom | |
1997–2001 | |
Date formed | 2 May 1997 |
Date dissolved | 8 June 2001 |
People and organisations | |
Monarch | Elizabeth II |
Prime Minister | Tony Blair |
Prime Minister's history | Premiership of Tony Blair |
Deputy Prime Minister | John Prescott |
Member party | |
Status in legislature | Majority 418 / 659 (63%) |
Opposition cabinet | |
Opposition party | |
Opposition leader |
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History | |
Election | 1997 general election |
Outgoing election | 2001 general election |
Legislature terms | 52nd UK Parliament |
Budgets | |
Predecessor | Second Major ministry |
Successor | Second Blair ministry |
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Leader of the Opposition Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Policies Appointments First ministry and term (May 1997 – June 2001)
Second ministry and term (June 2001 – May 2005)
Third ministry and term (May 2005 – June 2007)
Post–Prime Minister
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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.
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Cabinet Office | |||
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Tony Blair | May 1997 – June 2001 | ||
Deputy Prime Minister | John Prescott | May 1997 – June 2001 | |
David Clark | May 1997 – July 1998 | ||
Jack Cunningham | July 1998 – October 1999 | ||
Mo Mowlam | October 1999 – June 2001 | ||
| Derek Foster | May 1997 | |
Peter Kilfoyle | May 1997 – July 1999 | ||
Ian McCartney | July 1999 – June 2001 | ||
Lord Falconer of Thoroton | July 1998 - June 2001 | ||
Parliamentary Under Secretary of state | Graham Stringer | November 1999 - June 2001 | |
Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain | The Lord Irvine of Lairg | May 1997 – June 2001 | |
Minister Without Portfolio | Peter Mandelson | May 1997 – July 1998 | |
Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Prime Minister | Ann Coffey | May 1997 – July 1998 | |
Bruce Grocott | May 1997 – June 2001 |
Treasury | |||
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Chancellor of the Exchequer | Gordon Brown | May 1997 – June 2001 | |
Chief Secretary to the Treasury | Alistair Darling | May 1997 – July 1998 | |
Stephen Byers | July 1998 – December 1998 | ||
Alan Milburn | December 1998 – October 1999 | ||
Andrew Smith | October 1999 – June 2001 | ||
Paymaster General | Geoffrey Robinson | May 1997 – December 1998 | |
Dawn Primarolo | January 1999 – June 2001 | ||
Financial Secretary to the Treasury | Dawn Primarolo | May 1997 – January 1999 | |
Barbara Roche | January 1999 – July 1999 | ||
Stephen Timms | July 1999 – June 2001 | ||
Economic Secretary to the Treasury | Helen Liddell | May 1997 – July 1998 | |
Patricia Hewitt | July 1998 – May 1999 | ||
Melanie Johnson | May 1999 – June 2001 | ||
Minister of State for Trade & Competitiveness in Europe, (jointly with Trade & Industry) | Lord Simon of Highbury | May 1997 - July 1999 |
Foreign and Commonwealth Office | |||
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Foreign Secretary | Robin Cook | May 1997 – June 2001 | |
Minister of State for Foreign Affairs | Tony Lloyd | May 1997 – July 1999 | |
John Battle | July 1999 – June 2001 | ||
Minister of State for Europe | Doug Henderson | May 1997 – July 1998 | |
Joyce Quin | July 1998 – July 1999 | ||
Geoff Hoon | July 1999 – October 1999 | ||
Keith Vaz | October 1999 – June 2001 | ||
Minister of State for Africa | Derek Fatchett | May 1997 – May 1999 | |
Geoff Hoon | May 1999 – July 1999 | ||
Peter Hain | July 1999 – January 2001 | ||
Brian Wilson | January 2001 – June 2001 | ||
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs | The Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean | May 1997 – June 1999 | |
The Baroness Scotland of Asthal | June 1999 – June 2001 |
Home Office | |||
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Home Secretary | Jack Straw | May 1997 – June 2001 | |
Minister of State for Home Affairs | Alun Michael | May 1997 – October 1998 | |
Paul Boateng | October 1998 – June 2001 | ||
Minister of State for Prisons | Joyce Quin | May 1997 – July 1998 | |
The Lord Williams of Mostyn | July 1998 – July 1999 | ||
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 | |
Kate Hoey | July 1998 – July 1999 | ||
The Lord Bassam of Brighton | July 1999 – June 2001 | ||
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Immigration | Mike O'Brien | May 1997 – June 2001 | |
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Prisons, Drugs & Elections | George Howarth | May 1997 - July 1999 |
Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food | |||
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Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food | Jack Cunningham | May 1997 – July 1998 | |
Nick Brown | July 1998 – June 2001 | ||
Minister of State for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food | Jeff Rooker | May 1997 – July 1999 | |
Joyce Quin | July 1999 – June 2001 | ||
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Fisheries and the Countryside | Elliot Morley | May 1997 – June 2001 | |
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Farming & the Food Industry | Lord Donoughue | May 1997 - July 1999 | |
Baroness Hayman | July 1999 - June 2001 |
Defence | |||
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Secretary of State for Defence | George Robertson | May 1997 – October 1999 | |
Geoff Hoon | October 1999 – June 2001 | ||
Minister of State for the Armed Forces | John Reid | May 1997 – July 1998 | |
Doug Henderson | July 1998 – July 1999 | ||
John Spellar | July 1999 – June 2001 | ||
Minister of State for Defence Procurement | The Lord Gilbert | May 1997 – July 1999 | |
The Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean | July 1999 – June 2001 | ||
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence | John Spellar | May 1997 – July 1999 | |
Peter Kilfoyle | July 1999 – January 2000 | ||
Lewis Moonie | January 2000 – June 2001 |
Department for Education and Employment | |||
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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 | |
Estelle Morris | July 1998 – June 2001 | ||
Minister of State for Employment and Disability Rights | Andrew Smith | May 1997 – October 1999 | |
Tessa Jowell (Deputy Minister for Women) | October 1999 – June 2001 | ||
Minister of State | Baroness Blackstone | May 1997 - June 2001 | |
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Employment & Equal Opportunities | Alan Howarth, Baron Howarth of Newport | May 1997 - July 1998 | |
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education and Employment | Estelle Morris | May 1997 – July 1998 | |
George Mudie | July 1998 – July 1999 | ||
Jacqui Smith | July 1999 – June 2001 | ||
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Lifelong Learning | Kim Howells | May 1997 - July 1998 | |
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State | Margaret Hodge | July 1998 - June 2001 | |
Charles Clarke | July 1998 - July 1999 | ||
Malcolm Wicks | July 1999 - June 2001 | ||
Michael Wills | July 1999 - June 2001 |
Health | |||
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Secretary of State for Health | Frank Dobson | May 1997 – October 1999 | |
Alan Milburn | October 1999 – June 2001 | ||
Minister of State for Health Services | Alan Milburn | May 1997 – December 1998 | |
John Denham | December 1998 – June 2001 | ||
Minister of State for Public Health | Tessa Jowell (Deputy Minister for Women July 1998 - October 1999) | May 1997 – October 1999 | |
John Hutton | October 1999 – June 2001 | ||
Minister of State | Baroness Jay of Paddington | May 1997 - July 1998 | |
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health | The Baroness Hayman | July 1998 – July 1999 | |
Gisela Stuart | July 1999 – June 2001 | ||
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Social Care & Mental Health | Paul Boateng | May 1997 - October 1998 | |
John Hutton | October 1998 - October 1999 | ||
Yvette Cooper | October 1999 - June 2001 | ||
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State | Lord Hunt of Kings Heath | January 1998 - June 2001 |
Department of Social Security | |||
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Secretary of State for Social Security | Harriet Harman, (Minister for Women) | May 1997 – July 1998 | |
Alistair Darling | July 1998 – June 2001 | ||
Minister for Welfare Reform | Frank Field | May 1997 – July 1998 | |
Minister of State for Pensions | John Denham | June 1998 – December 1998 | |
Stephen Timms | January 1999 – July 1999 | ||
Jeff Rooker | July 1999 – June 2001 | ||
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Social Security | Joan Ruddock (Deputy Minister for Women) | May 1997 – July 1998 | |
Hugh Bayley | January 1999 – June 2001 | ||
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Minister for Pensions | John Denham | May 1997 - June 1998 | |
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Income-related Benefits | Keith Bradley, Baron Bradley | May 1997 - July 1998 | |
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Child Benefit, Child Support & War Pensions | Baroness Hollis of Heigham | May 1997 - June 2001 | |
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Pensions | Stephen Timms | July 1998 -December 1998 | |
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State | Angela Eagle | July 1998 -June 2001 |
Department of Culture, Media and Sport | |||
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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 | |
Janet Anderson | July 1998 – June 2001 | ||
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Arts | Mark Fisher | May 1997 – June 1998 | |
Alan Howarth | June 1998 – June 2001 | ||
Minister for Sport | Tony Banks, Baron Stratford | May 1997 - July 1999 | |
Kate Hoey | July 1999 - June 2001 |
Trade and Industry | |||
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Margaret Beckett | May 1997 – July 1998 | ||
Peter Mandelson | July 1998 – December 1998 | ||
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 | |
Brian Wilson | July 1998 – July 1999 | ||
Richard Caborn | July 1999 – June 2001 | ||
Minister of State for Competitiveness | Ian McCartney | May 1997 – July 1999 | |
Minister of State for Small Business & E-Commerce | Patricia Hewitt | July 1999 - June 2001 | |
Minister of State for Energy and Competitiveness in Europe (jointly with Treasury to July 1999) | The Lord Simon of Highbury | May 1997 – July 1999 | |
Helen Liddell | July 1999 – January 2001 | ||
Peter Hain | January 2001 – June 2001 | ||
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Trade and Industry | Nigel Griffiths | May 1997 – July 1998 | |
Kim Howells | July 1998 – June 2001 | ||
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Small Firms, Trade & Industry | Barbara Roche | May 1997 - January 1999 | |
Michael Wills | January 1999 - July 1999 | ||
Alan Johnson | July 1999 - June 2001 | ||
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Minister for Sciences | Lord Sainsbury of Turville | July 1998 - June 2001 |
Department of International Development | |||
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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 | |
Chris Mullin | January 2001 – June 2001 |
Lord Chancellors Department | |||
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Lord Chancellor | Lord Irvine of Lairg | May 1997 - June 2001 | |
Minister of State | Geoff Hoon | July 1998 - May 1999 | |
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State | Geoff Hoon | May 1997 - July 1998 | |
Keith Vaz | May - July 1999 | ||
David Lock | July 1999 - June 2001 | ||
Jane Kennedy | October 1999 - June 2001 | ||
Lord Bach | November 2000 - June 2001 |
Scottish Office | |||
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Secretary of State for Scotland | Donald Dewar | May 1997 – May 1999 | |
John Reid | May 1999 – January 2001 | ||
Helen Liddell | January - June 2001 | ||
Minister of State for Scotland | Henry McLeish | May 1997 – June 1999 | |
Brian Wilson | May 1997 – July 1998 | ||
Helen Liddell | July 1998 – May 1999 | ||
Brian Wilson | July 1999 – January 2001 | ||
George Foulkes | January - June 2001 | ||
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland | Malcolm Chisholm | May 1997 – December 1997 | |
Sam Galbraith | May 1997 – May 1999 | ||
The Lord Sewel | May 1997 – July 1999 | ||
Calum MacDonald | December 1997 – July 1999 | ||
The Lord MacDonald of Tradeston | August 1998 – July 1999 |
Wales Office | |||
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Secretary of State for Wales | Ron Davies | May 1997 – October 1998 | |
Alun Michael | October 1998 – July 1999 | ||
Paul Murphy | July 1999 – June 2001 | ||
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Wales | Peter Hain | May 1997 – July 1999 | |
Win Griffiths | May 1997 – July 1998 | ||
Jon Owen Jones | July 1998 – July 1999 | ||
David Hanson | July 1999 – June 2001 |
Northern Ireland Office | |||
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Secretary of State for Northern Ireland | Mo Mowlam | May 1997 – October 1999 | |
Peter Mandelson | October 1999 – January 2001 | ||
John Reid | January 2001 – June 2001 | ||
Minister of State for Northern Ireland | Adam Ingram | May 1997 – June 2001 | |
Paul Murphy, Baron Murphy of Torfaen | May 1997 - July 1999 | ||
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Northern Ireland | The Lord Dubs | May 1997 – December 1999 | |
Tony Worthington | May 1997 – July 1998 | ||
John McFall | July 1998 – December 1999 | ||
George Howarth | July 1999 – June 2001 |
Law Officers | |||
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Attorney General for England and Wales | John Morris | May 1997 – July 1999 | |
The Lord Williams of Mostyn | July 1999 – June 2001 | ||
Solicitor General for England and Wales | The Lord Falconer of Thoroton | May 1997 – July 1998 | |
Ross Cranston | July 1998 – June 2001 | ||
Advocate General for Scotland | Lynda Clark | May 1999 – June 2001 | |
Solicitor General for Scotland | Baron Boyd of Duncansby | May 1997 - February 2000 | |
Baron Davidson of Glen Cova | February 2000 - June 2001 | ||
Lord Advocate | Lord Hardie | May 1997 - February 2000 | |
Baron Boyd of Duncansby | February 2000 - June 2001 |
Parliament | |||
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Ann Taylor | May 1997 – July 1998 | ||
Margaret Beckett | July 1998 – June 2001 | ||
Deputy Leader of the House of Commons | Paddy Tipping | December 1998 – June 2001 | |
The Lord Richard | May 1997 – July 1998 | ||
The Baroness Jay of Paddington, (Minister for Women) | July 1998 – June 2001 | ||
Deputy Leader of the House of Lords | The Baroness Jay of Paddington | May 1997 – July 1998 | |
The Lord Williams of Mostyn | October 1998 – June 2001 |
Whips | |||
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Nick Brown | May 1997 – July 1998 | ||
Ann Taylor | July 1998 – June 2001 | ||
George Mudie | May 1997 – July 1998 | ||
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 | |
Graham Allen | July 1998 – June 2001 | ||
Junior Lords of the Treasury Whips | Bob Ainsworth | May 1997 - January 2001 | |
Graham Allen | May 1997 - July 1998 | ||
Jim Dowd | May 1997 - June 2001 | ||
Baron McFall | May 1997 - July 1998 | ||
Jon Owen Jones | May 1997 - July 1998 | ||
Clive Betts | July 1998 - June 2001 | ||
David Jamieson | July 1998 - June 2001 | ||
Jane Kennedy | July 1998 - October 1999 | ||
Greg Pope | November 1999 - June 2001 | ||
David Clelland | February - June 2001 | ||
Assistant Whips | Clive Betts | May 1997 -July 1998 | |
David Clelland | May 1997 - February 2001 | ||
Kevin Hughes | May 1997 - June 2001 | ||
David Jamieson | May 1997 - July 1998 | ||
Jane Kennedy | May 1997 - July 1998 | ||
Greg Pope | May 1997 - November 1999 | ||
Bridget Prentice | May 1997 - July 1998 | ||
Anne McGuire | July 1998 - May 2001 | ||
David Hanson | July 1998 - July 1999 | ||
Mike Hall | July 1998 - June 2001 | ||
Keith Hill | July 1998 - July 1999 | ||
Gerry Sutcliffe | July 1999 - June 2001 | ||
Tony McNulty | October 1999 - May 2001 | ||
Don Touhig | November 1999 - June 2001 | ||
Ian Pearson | February - June 2001 | ||
The Lord Carter | May 1997 – June 2001 | ||
The Lord McIntosh of Haringey | May 1997 – June 2001 | ||
Lord Haskel | May 1997 - July 1998 | ||
Lord Whitty | May 1997 - July 1998 | ||
Lord Hoyle | May 1997 - April 1999 | ||
Baroness Gould of Potternewton | May 1997 - July 1998 | ||
Baroness Farrington of Ribbleton | May 1997 - June 2001 | ||
Lord Hunt of Kings Heath | July 1998 - July 1999 | ||
Baroness Amos | July 1998 - June 2001 | ||
Baroness Ramsay of Cartvale | July 1998 - June 2001 | ||
Lord Burlison | January 1999 - June 2000 | ||
Lord Bach | July 1999 - November 2000 | ||
Lord Davies of Oldham | July 2000 - June 2001 |
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