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Brown appoints Iraq war critics
Britain's new leader, Gordon Brown, appointed key critics of the Iraq war to his youthful circle of senior ministers - underlining his ambition to heal rifts over the conflict and draw a line under policies that dogged his predecessor.
- AP
- Published: 23:33 June 28, 2007
- Image Credit: Reuters
- New Prime Minister Gordon Brown (centre) heads his first cabinet meeting at 10 Downing Street, London.
London: Britain's new leader, Gordon Brown, appointed key critics of the Iraq war to his youthful circle of senior ministers yesterday - underlining his ambition to heal rifts over the conflict and draw a line under policies that dogged his predecessor.
David Miliband, who at times has been critical of Tony Blair's Middle East policy, was named foreign secretary in Brown's most eye-catching appointment.
"The opportunities and challenges of the modern world require, in my view, a diplomacy that is patient as well as purposeful," Miliband, at 41 the young-est British foreign secretary for three decades, told reporters.
Both he and Jack Straw - appointed Justice Secretary and Lord Chancellor - called on Blair during last year's Lebanon conflict to take a tougher line with Israel.
Alongside a raft of young legislators, Brown offered posts to John Denham - an ex-minister who quit the government in 2003 in protest over Iraq, and Mark Malloch-Brown, a former deputy United Nations chief and nemesis of neo-conservatives in the United States.
'A huge change'
Malloch-Brown, now a Lord, had fierce spats with ex-US ambassador to the UN John Bolton who accused him of discrediting the world body with criticisms of the White House.
His appointment to a junior role as Africa, Asia and UN minister could be an attempt by Brown to distance London from the Bush administration, said analyst Alex Bingham, of the Foreign Policy Center think tank.
Brown picked Jacqui Smith - a 44-year-old Amnesty International member and ex-chief whip - as Britain's first female law and order chief, responsible for tackling terrorism and crime.
"It's a radical reshuffle from Brown, and by promoting his party's bright young things he's demonstrating that this is a huge change from the days of Blair," said Julian Astle, director of the Center Forum, a liberal think tank.
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