PMBlair loses 18 districts, 200 seats in worst loss since 92

• LazerLordz

  5 May 06, 19:45

  Clarke axed in Cabinet reshuffle
  
  Charles Clarke has been sacked as home secretary as Tony Blair seeks to regain the initiative after a night of losses in English local elections.
  
  He will be replaced by Defence Secretary John Reid. Margaret Beckett is the new foreign secretary, with Jack Straw becoming Commons leader.
  
  John Prescott will stay as deputy prime minister but lose his department. Trade Secretary Alan Johnson gets education.
  
  Labour came third in Thursday's polls, losing about 200 seats to the Tories.
  
  The results, among the worst Labour has ever had in a local election, saw the party lose control of 18 local authorities.
  
  CABINET RESHUFFLE
  Foreign Secretary - Margaret Beckett
  Home Secretary - John Reid
  Education Secretary - Alan Johnson
  Leader of the Commons - Jack Straw
  Europe Minister - Geoff Hoon
  
  Clarke defiant
  Analysis: Heat on Blair
  Reshuffle: At-a-glance
  
  It has prompted the biggest reshuffle of Mr Blair's career, as he seeks to draw a line under the scandals that have rocked his government in recent weeks.
  
  Mr Clarke's admission that he had lost track of 1,028 foreign prisoners is thought to have been particularly damaging on the doorstep.
  
  Mr Blair said he was "sorry" to lose Mr Clarke but added: "I felt that it was very difficult, given the level of genuine public concern, for Charles to continue in this post."
  
  Earlier, in a statement, Mr Clarke said he did not agree with the prime minister's judgement, but added he would remain loyal to the government when he returned to the backbenches.
  
  Mr Prescott has also been accused of damaging the party after revelations about an affair with his diary secretary.
  
  He will remain as deputy prime minister but will be stripped of many responsibilities. He will also continue as deputy leader of the Labour Party.
  
  Trade Secretary Alan Johnson, a former postman and trade union leader, will replace Ruth Kelly as education secretary and Commons leader Geoff Hoon will become Europe minister.
  
  Ms Kelly will take over many of Mr Prescott's government responsibilities, covering communities and local government.
  
  The only senior minister to remain in his post is Chancellor Gordon Brown, who called the local election results a "warning shot", and said he would be speaking to Mr Blair over the weekend to plot the way ahead.
  
  Conservative leader David Cameron said: "It will take far more than a reshuffle, what we need in this country is a replacement."
  
  He said the Conservatives were "showing there is a broad-based alternative that is building while the government is collapsing".
  
  Mr Cameron's party took control of 12 councils in Thursday's polls and gained 250 seats, although they failed to make hoped-for progress in Northern cities such as Manchester and Liverpool.
  
  The Liberal Democrats failed to make predicted advances, gaining less than 20 councillors, but Sir Menzies Campbell insisted it was not a test of his leadership.
  
  'Deckchairs on Titanic'
  
  Some Labour backbenchers believe Mr Blair must go further than just overhauling his team.
  
  Former Health Secretary Frank Dobson said a reshuffle would be like "rearranging the deckchairs on the Titanic".
  
  "Quite frankly we need the party under new management," said Mr Dobson.
  
  If Thursday's polls had been held nationwide, the Tories would have gained 40% of the vote, Lib Dems 27% and Labour 26%. Turnout is estimated at 36% - down three points from 2004.
  
  Among the smaller parties, the Greens have won 17 seats, with particular success in Norwich. The British National Party doubled its councillors, including winning 11 seats from Labour in Barking.
  
  Some areas will not start counting their votes until later on Friday.
  
  
• Don©

  5 May 06, 19:48

  Blair's popularity has been falling since the iraq war.
  
  I hope this happens to PAP.
• HENG@

  5 May 06, 19:49

  haha not surprising, seeing as how his party members all seem to screw up one after another.
  
  But I would rather power remain with him than the conservatives. They're worse. They publicly supported bush and then swing the other way later on.
• lwflee

  5 May 06, 19:51

  See! I knew he would be available soon!
  
  BLAIR FOR SINGAPORE PM!!!
  
  
• HENG@

  5 May 06, 19:53

  Originally posted by Don©:

  Blair's popularity has been falling since the iraq war.
  
  I hope this happens to PAP.

  won't work for a country which is effectively a thinly disguised dictatorship, unlike UK
• Don©

  5 May 06, 19:54

  Originally posted by HENG@:

  won't work for a country which is effectively a thinly disguised dictatorship, unlike UK

  Hmmm. ya lor
• will4

  5 May 06, 20:00

  Originally posted by HENG@:

  won't work for a country which is effectively a thinly disguised dictatorship, unlike UK

  I believe the election this time will be the first to be fierecely fought especially oppisition seemed to have many good candidates.
• LazerLordz

  5 May 06, 20:05

  Originally posted by HENG@:

  haha not surprising, seeing as how his party members all seem to screw up one after another.
  
  But I would rather power remain with him than the conservatives. They're worse. They publicly supported bush and then swing the other way later on.

  I guess the only compromise is a clearout of the weeds and let him and Gordon Brown continue leading the helm of the Labour Party.
  
  You're right, I still can't see any other person who's better than Blair.