Peter Hain, leader of the House of Commons in the outgoing British parliament, has been appointed Northern Secretary in Tony Blair's cabinet reshuffle.
Mr Hain (55) replaces Paul Murphy, who has served in Northern Ireland as both Northern Secretary and former junior minister at the Northern Ireland Office during the negotiations leading to the Belfast Agreement in 1998. Mr Murphy retires to the backbenches at his own request.
Mr Hain was born in Nairobi, and raised in South Africa where he formed his political philosophy. His parents became the first married couple to become banned persons under the apartheid regime. They had to seek a special dispensation even to talk to each other. They were forced into exile in Britain when their son was just 16.
Mr Hain was first elected to the House of Commons for the Neath constituency in April 1991. He became leader of the House of Commons in June 2003, retaining his position as secretary of state for Wales.
Since Labour took office in 1997 Mr Hain has held the post of minister in the Welsh Office, minister for Africa in the Foreign Office, minister for energy at the Department of Trade and Industry and minister for Europe at the Foreign Office.
On July 18th, 2001, Mr Hain was made a member of the Privy Council and became the Right Honourable member for Neath.
Some 35 years ago Peter Hain, as a radical Young Liberal in London, led a campaign against racism in South Africa. He was known as "Hain the Pain", particularly for his efforts to disrupt the Springboks's 1970 rugby tour by staging pitch invasions and even gluing the locks on the players' hotel rooms.
He has been denounced by Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe as a racist, but said of his detractor: "Those of us who fought for the liberation of black Zimbabweans from racist minority white rule feel just as betrayed by Robert Mugabe's despotic regime as do his people.
"He has presided over the demolition of a once prosperous and beautiful African country into a state of desperation for its people who are starved and oppressed by his tyranny. I strongly support European sanctions against Mugabe and his ruling clique. We must do all in our power to help the people of Zimbabwe achieve their freedom and prosperity once again."
He has said of his African roots: "Having fought most of my life against apartheid - and of course my parents were imprisoned during the struggle - I am thrilled by the way South Africa has developed into a model multiracial democracy. It is amazing when you think that 10 years ago apartheid ruled."