WHAT CAN THEY DO TO ME?

Blair defies critics in reshuffle: Promotions court controversy (Michael White, May 10, 2005, The Guardian)

Tony Blair defied his circling critics last night by reshaping his ministerial team to include such controversial New Labour figures as his No 10 adviser, Andrew Adonis, the renegade ex-Tory MP Shaun Woodward, and Lord Drayson, the pharmaceutical entrepreneur involved in cash-for-contracts allegations.

Though he promoted a significant number of allies of the chancellor, Gordon Brown, alongside Blairites - many of them younger backbench MPs of obvious talent - Mr Blair appeared to have acted without extensive consultation with Mr Brown. However, No 10 later insisted that the chancellor and prime minister had talked on the phone about the reshuffle "several times" yesterday - repeating a pattern of discordance between the two camps also heard after the first day of the reshuffle.

Mr. Blair seems to feel liberated and looks prepared to go out fighting for what he believes in.

Posted by Orrin Judd at May 10, 2005 8:38 AM