BRITAIN:British prime minister Gordon Brown revealed his promised non-Labour Party appointments yesterday as he put the finishing touches to the ministerial line-up in his "new" government.
Former navy chief Sir Alan West joined the Home Office as a junior security minister, while the former head of the Confederation of British Industry, Sir Digby Jones, also joined the government - as trade promotion minister.
As part of his promise to form an administration of "all the talents", Mr Brown also appointed former Metropolitan Police commissioner Lord Stevens as an international security adviser. Liberal Democrats Baroness Neuberger and Lord Lester are other outside appointees. They will advise on volunteering and constitutional reform, respectively.
Conservative shadow home secretary David Davis welcomed the appointment of Lord Stevens, saying he hoped it would lead "to a more measured response to the security threats" faced by the UK. Lord Stevens is to continue as head of Tory leader David Cameron's UK border police taskforce. Thus Lord Stevens brings to both government and opposition a wealth of experience born of more than 40 years of policing, which puts his expertise on matters of security on a different level to that of most politicians.
He retired as Metropolitan Police commissioner in 2005, since when he has conducted inquiries into the death of Diana, Princess of Wales and alleged football bungs. He recently turned down an approach from Mr Cameron to stand as Conservative candidate for London mayor.
Sir Digby said he would take the Labour whip, but he declined to say if he would vote Labour at the next election.