First Blair ministry

The first Blair ministry lasted from May 1997 to June 2001. After eighteen years in opposition, Labour ousted the Conservatives at the May 1997 election with a 179-seat majority. The Prime Minister, Tony Blair, who turned 44 years old days after leading Labour to victory, was the youngest Prime Minister of the twentieth century.

First Blair ministry
Cabinet of the United Kingdom
1997–2001
Date formed	2 May 1997
Date dissolved	8 June 2001
People and organisations
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Prime Minister	Tony Blair
Prime Minister's history	Premiership of Tony Blair
Deputy Prime Minister	John Prescott
Member party	Labour Party
Status in legislature	Majority 418 / 659 (63%)
Opposition cabinet	Major Shadow Cabinet Hague Shadow Cabinet
Opposition party	Conservative Party
Opposition leader	John Major (1997) William Hague (1997–2001)
History
Election	1997 general election
Outgoing election	2001 general election
Legislature terms	52nd UK Parliament
Budgets	1997 budget 1998 budget 1999 budget 2000 budget 2001 budget
Predecessor	Second Major ministry
Successor	Second Blair ministry

• July 1998 – 1999 British cabinet reshuffle
• October 1998 – Alun Michael becomes Welsh Secretary. Ron Davies leaves the Cabinet.
• December 1998 – Peter Mandelson is dismissed from the cabinet over a secret home loan he received from Geoffrey Robinson. Stephen Byers becomes Trade & Industry Secretary. Alan Milburn becomes Chief Secretary to the Treasury.
• May 1999 – John Reid becomes Scottish Secretary. Donald Dewar leaves the cabinet.
• July 1999 – Paul Murphy becomes Welsh Secretary. Alun Michael leaves the cabinet.
• October 1999 – Andrew Smith becomes Chief Secretary to the Treasury. Geoff Hoon becomes Defence Secretary. Alan Milburn becomes Health Secretary. Peter Mandelson returns to the cabinet as Northern Ireland Secretary. Mo Mowlam becomes Cabinet Office Minister and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. Gareth Williams becomes Attorney General. John Morris, George Robertson, Jack Cunningham and Frank Dobson leave the cabinet.
• January 2001 – Peter Mandelson is dismissed as Northern Ireland Secretary and is succeeded by John Reid. Helen Liddell enters the cabinet and succeeds John Reid as Scottish Secretary.

Members of the Cabinet are in bold face.

• Ministers in the Labour Governments: 1997–2010 – Parliamentary Information List, House of Commons Library, 3 July 2012
• D. Butler and G. Butler (ed.), Twentieth Century British Political Facts 1900–2000^{[publisher missing][ISBN missing]}

• "Ministerial Departures since 1997 – Parliamentary Information List" (PDF). House of Commons Library. 24 February 2009.