Brown expected to reshuffle Cabinet

2:44pm Thursday 2nd October 2008

Prime Minister Gordon Brown is expected to carry out a limited reshuffle of his Cabinet in the coming days, officials indicated.

Speculation over a widespread shake-up of his frontbench team has cooled in the context of a global financial crisis that has helped quieten Labour internal revolt.

Mr Brown's spokesman has insisted that the PM remained "focused very much on the economic situation and that is his overwhelming priority".

But a smaller-scale revamp has been enforced by the public revelation of Ruth Kelly's desire to quit as Transport Secretary to spend more time with her family.

The timing of the reshuffle has not been confirmed.

Earlier, it was reported Mr Brown would set up an emergency committee to take charge of Britain's response to the financial crisis.

The Times claimed it would be modelled on similar lines to Cobra, the Government's crisis management committee, and would bring together ministers, officials and advisers.

Its secretariat would be run from the Cabinet Office.

According to The Times, the Prime Minister will announce its formation at the same time as the expected reshuffle to replace Ruth Kelly.

Details of Ms Kelly's resignation were confirmed in a chaotic 3am briefing in a hotel bar by aides to Ms Kelly and Gordon Brown during the Labour Party conference last week.