Gordon Brown is to give prominence to eight young Cabinet ministers as he tries to recover in time for a general election next year by showing that Labour remains the party of radical change.
The Times has been told that Mr Brown believes that the mini-reshuffle forced on him by the departure of Peter Hain has given him the opportunity to show that he has ministers anxious to continue Labour’s reforming policies – and to counter the idea that David Cameron’s Conservatives represent the future.
The move comes as Mr Brown continues his revamp of Downing Street in what is effectively a relaunch of his premiership.
Mr Brown is acknowledging that his belief that he could run the operation by bringing with him former stalwarts from the Treasury was a mistake.
At the same time, there are clear signs that the ban on “spin” or prebriefing that characterised the early months of Mr Brown’s prime ministership, as he sought to make good his pledge to put Parliament first, is being relaxed.
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Ministers and advisers, who felt that the Conservatives were being allowed to make the running with policy announcements, have been told they can find ways of advertising their policies without breaching the rule that Parliament should receive announcements first.
Tony Blair, who has refrained from public comment on Mr Brown’s successes or problems since he became leader, is said by allies to be delighted by the reshuffle in which James Purnell – who was once his adviser and speechwriter – was propelled into the position of Work and Pensions Secretary, and by promotions for other Blairites and young ministers such as Andy Burnham.
Mr Purnell, 37, Ed Balls, 40, his wife Yvette Cooper, 37, Mr Burnham 38, David Miliband 42, his brother Ed, 37, Ruth Kelly 39, and Douglas Alexander, 40, will be encouraged by Mr Brown to make an impression with the public and to show that they have radical ideas. “Their talents will be showcased,” an adviser said.
Their relative youth will be set alongside the experience of Mr Brown and other ministers, such as Jack Straw and Alistair Darling, to try to convince the public that Labour has the mix to go forward to a fourth term.
Mr Purnell, who has taken over key reforms to pensions and welfare that will require people to seek new skills or risk losing their benefits, is seen as a key figure in Mr Brown’s move to give youth a chance. A Blairite he has long been trusted by Mr Brown and his allies.
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Mr Balls, who has come forward with a stream of initiatives since becoming Schools Secretary, is regarded as vital to the operation and keeping Labour’s strong lead in education.
Labour advisers claim that the Conservatives are sensitive to the potential appeal of the relative youth-fulness of the Cabinet’s middle ranks. They have already started trying to undermine that impression by pointing out that ministers such as Mr Balls, Mr Purnell and Mr Burnham served as advisers to either Mr Blair or Mr Brown long before they entered Parliament. “The Tories are trying to suggest that although they are young, they are not new,” one adviser said.
Despite another strong attack on Mr Brown at the weekend from Charles Clarke, the former Home Secretary, Mr Blair and other former Blairite ministers have welcomed the shake-up at No 10 and his emphasis on “modernising” policies – such as city academies, the use of private companies to run welfare programmes and personalisation of the public services – as evidence that he is carrying forward the programme of reform.
Although Mr Brown will not speculate about the timing of the next election, most ministers believe it will be in the summer of next year if Mr Brown believes he can win.
Yesterday Mr Brown received strong backing from Peter Mandelson, an adversary in the past. The arch-Blairite former minister said that Mr Brown was “very firmly in the saddle” and dismissed criticisms from Mr Clarke as a “cry of frustration” at being out of the Cabinet.
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Mr Mandelson, the EU Trade Commissioner, told The Andrew Marr Show on BBC One that what the Prime Minister had said since January “is a strong indicator of a man who has found his bearings, who has his political compass now firmly in his grasp and who is getting on top of what it takes to be Prime Minister.
“It is a hard adjustment to make and it has taken a few months and I think he is now very firmly in the saddle, in his stride and I think you will see the consequences of that in the Government’s performance this year.”
He added: “They didn’t have a brilliant run in the autumn. I think they have come back in the new year, having looked themselves in the face or in the mirror, and said, ‘Right, we’ve got to do things slightly differently’ and I think that’s what you are seeing.”
Fresh faces
David Miliband Foreign Secretary, 42
Ed Balls Children, Schools and Families Secretary, 40
James Purnell Work and Pensions Secretary, 37
Andy Burnham Culture Secretary, 38
Yvette Cooper Chief Secretary to the Treasury, 37
Douglas Alexander International Development Secretary, 40
Ruth Kelly Transport Secretary, 39
Ed Miliband Minister for the Cabinet Office, 37