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Brown ministry
Cabinet of the United Kingdom
2007–2010
Brown holding his first cabinet meeting
Date formed	27 June 2007
Date dissolved	11 May 2010
People and organisations
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Prime Minister	Gordon Brown
Prime Minister's history	Premiership of Gordon Brown
First Secretary	Lord Mandelson (2009–2010)
Member party	Labour Party
Status in legislature	Majority 356 / 647 (55%) (2007–2010) Caretaker 258 / 650 (40%) (May 2010)
Opposition cabinet	Cameron Shadow Cabinet
Opposition party	Conservative Party
Opposition leader	David Cameron
History
Outgoing election	2010 general election
Legislature term	54th UK Parliament
Budgets	2008 budget 2009 budget March 2010 budget
Outgoing formation	2010 government formation
Predecessor	Third Blair ministry
Successor	Cameron–Clegg coalition

This article is part of a series aboutGordon Brown
Electoral history MP for Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath Shadow Chancellor Blair–Brown deal Chancellor of the Exchequer Chancellorship 1997 budget Winter Fuel Payment Five economic tests Financial Services Authority 10p tax rate Sale of UK gold reserves, 1999–2002 Policies Brownism New Labour Third Way Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Premiership 2007 leadership election Ministry Treaty of Lisbon 2007–2008 financial crisis Bank rescue packages 2008 2009 Climate Change Act 2008 2009 European elections 2010 general election Post–Prime Minister 2014 Scottish independence referendum Bibliography Courage: Eight Portraits Britain's Everyday Heroes The Change We Choose Beyond the Crash My Life, Our Times
v t e

Gordon Brown formed the Brown ministry after being invited by Queen Elizabeth II to form a new government following the resignation of the previous prime minister of the United Kingdom, Tony Blair, on 27 June 2007. Brown formed his government over the course of the next day, with Jacqui Smith being appointed the United Kingdom's first female home secretary.

Following the 2010 general election, which resulted in a hung parliament, the government briefly remained in an acting capacity while negotiations to form a new government took place. After talks between the Labour Party and the Liberal Democrats broke down and a Conservative–Liberal Democrat coalition looked imminent, Brown resigned as prime minister on 11 May 2010.

Background

In comparison with Tony Blair's last Cabinet, Brown retained seventeen ministers including himself.

Alistair Darling replaced Brown as Chancellor of the Exchequer while his portfolio at Trade and Industry was renamed Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform and given to John Hutton. Hutton was in turn replaced as Work Secretary by Peter Hain, who continued as Wales Secretary but not as Northern Ireland Secretary, a post that went to Shaun Woodward.

David Miliband was promoted from Environment Secretary to Foreign Secretary and was replaced in that brief by Hilary Benn, then International Development Secretary. Douglas Alexander filled Benn's seat whilst his posts as Transport and Scotland Secretaries were given to Ruth Kelly and Des Browne, respectively, the latter of whom stayed on as Defence Secretary. Jack Straw became the first MP Justice Secretary and Lord Chancellor, declaring it a new Great Office of State. Amid speculation that Brown would appoint him as deputy prime minister and/or First Secretary of State, neither title was conferred on any member. The other name that cropped up for the two roles was the new Labour Party Chair and Deputy Leader, Harriet Harman, who made a return to Cabinet after nine years as Leader of the House of Commons and Lord Privy Seal and was given the additional brief of Minister for Women and Equality. It was believed that the Government Equalities Office would become its own department headed by an Equalities Secretary; however, it was not given Secretary of State status. The previous home of the Equalities Office and of Ruth Kelly was the Communities Secretary, a post which was given to Hazel Blears, whose previous role as Minister without Portfolio was not given due to Harman's (the new party chair) full inclusion in Cabinet. Harman's strongest competitor for the deputy leadership, Alan Johnson, became the Health Secretary while his previous role as Education Secretary was split into a Schools Secretary and a Universities Secretary and respectively given to Ed Balls and John Denham.

Former Commons Chief Whip Jacqui Smith was given a substantial promotion as the first female Home Secretary and was replaced by Geoff Hoon, who was promoted from being the Europe Minister. His successor, Jim Murphy, was not given a provision to attend Cabinet as he was.

Tessa Jowell lost her place at the table when James Purnell became Culture Secretary but was given the right to attend Cabinet as the Olympics Minister and also became Paymaster General. The last holdover from Blair's government was Lord Grocott, who stayed on as Chief Whip in the Lords and Captain of the Gentlemen at Arms. Balls' wife, Yvette Cooper, was given the right to attend Cabinet in her role as Housing Minister as was David Miliband's brother, Ed Miliband, who became Cabinet Minister and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.

Beverley Hughes retained her role as Children Minister and was elevated to Cabinet, but was only allowed to sit in that body when her policy area was on the agenda. Additionally, Baroness Ashton of Upholland and Andy Burnham entered Cabinet as Lords Leader and Lord President of the Council and Chief Secretary to the Treasury.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal and Lord Malloch-Brown were given the right to attend Cabinet as Attorney General and Africa, Asia and UN Minister.

The last alteration to the Cabinet's composition was the removal of the Minister for Social Exclusion and the Minister of State for Trade.

Cabinets

28 June 2007 – 24 January 2008

First reshuffle: 24 January 2008 – 3 October 2008

Second reshuffle: 3 October 2008 – 5 June 2009

Third reshuffle: 5 June 2009 – 11 May 2010

List of ministers

Key:

Prime minister

Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform

Business, Innovation and Skills

Cabinet Office

Children, Schools and Families

Communities and Local Government

Culture, Media and Sport

Defence

Energy and Climate Change

Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs

Government Equalities Office

Health

Home Affairs

Innovation, Universities and Skills

International Development

Justice

Law Officers

Northern Ireland Office

Parliament

Ministers for the Regions

Scotland Office

Transport

Treasury

Wales Office

Work and Pensions

Whips

See also

• Government of the United Kingdom
• Cabinet of the United Kingdom
• Blair ministry

Notes

1. The Lord Malloch-Brown resigned on 24 July 2009 after the general reshuffle and the portfolio is no longer in Cabinet.
2. ^ This portfolio was added to Cabinet on 8 June 2009 after the general reshuffle.

References

Sources

External links

• Full List of Government Ministers as of 29 June 2007 from the 10 Downing Street website.
• Full List of Government Ministers as of 25 January 2008 from the 10 Downing Street website.
• Her Majesty's Government as of 27 June 2007 from the 10 Downing Street website.
• Her Majesty's Government as of 9 June 2009 from the 10 Downing Street website.
• In full: Brown's government as of 27 June 2009 from BBC World News
• Ministerial Appointments as of 3 October 2008 from the 10 Downing Street website.
• Ministerial Appointments as of 5 June 2009 from the 10 Downing Street website.

v t e British governments
Great Britain (1707–1801)	Godolphin–Marlborough Harley Townshend Stanhope–Sunderland I Stanhope–Sunderland II Walpole–Townshend Walpole Carteret Broad Bottom I and II Short-lived Newcastle I Pitt–Devonshire 1757 Caretaker Pitt–Newcastle (Newcastle II) Bute Grenville Rockingham I Chatham Grafton North Rockingham II Shelburne Fox–North (Portland I) Pitt I
UK (GB and Ire) (1801–1922)	Addington Pitt II All the Talents Portland II Perceval Liverpool Canning Goderich Wellington–Peel Grey Melbourne I Wellington Caretaker Peel I Melbourne II Peel II Russell I Who? Who? (Derby–Disraeli I) Aberdeen Palmerston I Derby–Disraeli II Palmerston II Russell II Derby–Disraeli III (Disraeli I) Gladstone I Disraeli II Gladstone II Salisbury I Gladstone III Salisbury II Gladstone IV Rosebery Salisbury III and IV Balfour Campbell-Bannerman Asquith I–III Asquith Coalition Lloyd George I and II
UK (GB and NI) (1922–present)	Law Baldwin I MacDonald I Baldwin II MacDonald II National Government I National Government II National Government III National Government IV Chamberlain War Churchill War Churchill Caretaker Attlee I and II Churchill III Eden Macmillan I and II Douglas-Home Wilson I and II Heath Wilson III and IV Callaghan Thatcher I Thatcher II Thatcher III Major I Major II Blair I Blair II Blair III Brown Cameron–Clegg (Cameron I) Cameron II May I May II Johnson I Johnson II Truss Sunak Starmer
Current ministry

v t e Gordon Brown
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (2007–2010) Leader of the Labour Party (2007–2010) Chancellor of the Exchequer (1997–2007)
Politics	Blair–Brown deal Chancellorship Five economic tests Financial Services Authority 10p tax rate Sale of UK gold reserves, 1999–2002 Premiership Brown ministry Electoral history 2010 Dissolution Honours We not only saved the world Not flash, just Gordon Post neoclassical endogenous growth theory Dunfermline East Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath
Ideology	Brownism New Labour Third Way
Elections	2007 (Party leadership) 2010 (General) Post-election events
Shadow Cabinet elections	1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996
Publications	Courage: Eight Portraits (2007) Britain's Everyday Heroes (2007) The Change We Choose (2010) Beyond the Crash (2010) My Life, Our Times (2017)
In the media	Spitting Image (1984-1996 TV series) The Deal (2003) 2DTV (2001-2004 TV series) The Trial of Tony Blair (2007) Headcases (2008 TV series) "Pinewood Derby" (2009) The Hunt for Tony Blair (2011) The Audience (2013 play) Coalition (2015)
Family	Sarah Brown (wife) Andrew Brown (brother)
← Tony Blair David Cameron → Category

v t e Brown Cabinet
Cabinet members	Gordon Brown Lord Adonis Bob Ainsworth Douglas Alexander Baroness Ashton of Upholland Ed Balls Hilary Benn Hazel Blears Ben Bradshaw Des Browne Liam Byrne Andy Burnham Yvette Cooper Alistair Darling John Denham Peter Hain Harriet Harman Geoff Hoon John Hutton Alan Johnson Tessa Jowell Ruth Kelly Lord Mandelson David Miliband Ed Miliband Jim Murphy Paul Murphy James Purnell Baroness Royall of Blaisdon Jacqui Smith Jack Straw Shaun Woodward
Also attended meetings	Margaret Beckett Nick Brown Lord Drayson Caroline Flint Lord Grocott John Healey Jim Knight Lord Malloch-Brown Pat McFadden Tony McNulty Baroness Scotland of Asthal
Attended while on agenda	Beverley Hughes Sadiq Khan Dawn Primarolo Rosie Winterton

• British ministries
• History of the Labour Party (UK)
• 2007 establishments in the United Kingdom
• 2010 disestablishments in the United Kingdom
• Premiership of Gordon Brown
• New Labour
• 2000s in the United Kingdom
• Ministries of Elizabeth II
• Cabinets established in 2007
• Cabinets disestablished in 2010
• 2007 in British politics
• 2010s in the United Kingdom
• Labour Party (UK) cabinets