British Prime Minister Gordon Brown today named rising star David Miliband today as Britain's youngest foreign minister in 30 years in a government shake-up designed to make a clean break from the Tony Blair years.
David Miliband is appointed British Foreign Secretary today by Gordon Brown. Image: Getty Images.
Mr Miliband (41) becomes the youngest MP to hold the role since David Owen in 1977.
Brown, who is promising change to woo back voters after 10 years of Labour Party rule and draw a line under the unpopular Iraq war, also named Alistair Darling as finance minister in a reshuffle that brought in many new faces.
As a cabinet minister Miliband, 41, voted to support the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003 but was widely reported by British media to have been sceptical about the war.
Analysts said the appointment of Darling, 53, signalled no major change in economic policy after Brown's successful decade-long tenure as finance minister, but Miliband's promotion marked a change of style in foreign affairs.
Brown has accepted responsibility for the decision to back the invasion of Iraq but will want to distance his government from Blair's approach, which was deeply unpopular among voters.
"The opportunities and challenges of the modern world require, in my view, a diplomacy that is patient as well as purposeful, which listens as well as leads," said Miliband.
Britain has been drawing down troop numbers in Iraq and now has about 5,500 in the south of the country.
While Brown has pledged to respect Britain's commitments in Iraq, there is speculation the withdrawal may accelerate.
In a further nod to Iraq critics, Brown appointed Mark Malloch Brown as minister for Africa, Asia and the United Nations.
Malloch Brown, a former UN deputy secretary general was highly critical of Britain and America over the conflict.
"Miliband wasn't closely associated with the decisions that were taken in the Iraq war," said David Mepham, head of the international unit at the Institute for Public Policy Research.
"It's an asset when meeting foreign secretaries in other countries in getting people to focus instead on the problem of how to move things forward in Iraq," he said.
In keeping with his pledge to promote women, Brown appointed Jacqui Smith as Britain's first female Home Secretary (interior minister) and she will face the challenge of preventing any more attacks by home-grown Islamist militants.
The jobs given to Brown allies such as leadership campaign manager, Jack Straw, right-hand man at the Treasury, Ed Balls, and fellow Scot Douglas Alexander underlined the priorities of Brown's policy agenda.
As justice minister Straw, 60, will be charged with getting a parliamentary consensus for constitutional reform and sorting out a prisons overcrowding crisis.
Balls, 40, was named children, schools and families minister, signalling Brown's focus on convincing the electorate he will improve education and stand up for working families.
Brown gave the health portfolio to Alan Johnson, who was pipped in a vote for Labour Party deputy. Alexander, 39, who will run the prime minister's general election campaign, became minister for international development.
Brown pushed development to the top of the international agenda when Britain held the presidency of the Group of Eight in 2005.
New Cabinet
Prime Minister, First Lord of the Treasury and Minister for the Civil Service:Gordon Brown.
Chancellor of the Exchequer:Alistair Darling.
Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs:David Miliband.
Secretary of State for Justice and Lord Chancellor:Jack Straw.
Secretary of State for the Home Department:Jacqui Smith.
Secretary of State for Defence, and Secretary of State for Scotland:Des Browne.
Secretary of State for Health:Alan Johnson.
Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:Hilary Benn.
Secretary of State for International Development:Douglas Alexander.
Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform:John Hutton.
Leader of the House of Commons (and Lord Privy Seal), Minister for Women, and Labour Party Chair:Harriet Harman.
Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, and Secretary of State for Wales:Peter Hain.
Secretary of State for Transport:Ruth Kelly.
Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government:Hazel Blears.
Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury, and Chief Whip:Geoff Hoon.
Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families:Ed Balls.
Minister for the Cabinet Office, and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster:Ed Miliband.
Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport:James Purnell.
Secretary of State for Northern Ireland:Shaun Woodward.
Leader of the House of Lords (and Lord President of the Council):Baroness Ashton of Upholland.
Chief Secretary to the Treasury:Andy Burnham.
Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills:John Denham.
The following ministers will also attend the Cabinet:
Cabinet Minister for the Olympics and London:Tessa Jowell.
Minister for Children and Youth Justice:Beverley Hughes.
Lords Chief Whip and Captain of the Gentlemen at Arms:Lord Grocott.
Attorney General:Baroness Scotland of Asthal.
Minister for Housing:Yvette Cooper.
Minister for Africa, Asia and UN:Lord Malloch Brown.
Parliamentary Private Secretaries to the Prime Minister:Ian Austin, Angela E Smith.