Reshuffled ministers start new jobs

Charles Clarke will "read in" on education

Four ministers reshuffled following Estelle Morris's resignation as education secretary were preparing for the first day in their new posts on Friday.

New Education Secretary Charles Clarke - formerly Labour party chairman - said he would first be "reading himself in" to see what needed to be done.

On Thursday night he admitted he faced "serious challenges" but said he was "confident" that he was up to the job.

Mr Clarke said his main concern would be the primary and secondary school system, where "the priority is to raise standards, broaden the curriculum and give people choice".

Cabinet changes

Education Secretary: Charles Clarke

Labour chairman: Dr John Reid

Northern Ireland Secretary: Paul Murphy

Welsh Secretary: Peter Hain

There was also a large amount of work to do on the government's plans for further and higher education, as well as the need to deliver "proper provision" in nursery education, he said.

Mr Clarke - who BBC political editor Andrew Marr described as the "ultimate toughie" - must also present the government's proposals for the future of universities and reform of student finance before the end of the year.

New party chairman John Reid - former Northern Ireland Secretary - told BBC2's Newsnight on Thursday he was gearing up for the challenge of dealing with public sector pay demands, and public sector reform.

Conciliator

"If you want to really deliver quality services, it is no good just putting in investment unless that's accompanied by reform of the delivery system," he said.

Peter Hain has been involved in Welsh politics before

"If the money we put in - which is massive - is all used on pay increases then obviously it doesn't feed through to better delivery."

Andrew Marr speculated Dr Reid had been given the job because he was tough but also a "conciliator".

He added that Labour was gearing up for some tough battles with unions - and possibly with Labour MPs over Iraq.

New Northern Ireland Secretary Paul Murphy is due to meet members of the public on Friday, as well as making contact with key politicians following the suspension of the Assembly last week.

'Not good enough'

The former Welsh Secretary said on Thursday that his job would not be easy, but he hoped devolution could be restored in the province "as soon as possible".

Paul Murphy accepts he has a difficult job

New Welsh Secretary Peter Hain will hold wide-ranging talks with Wales's First Minister Rhodri Morgan on Friday.

Mr Morgan insisted the two would be able to work closely together despite Mr Hain leading Alun Michael's successful campaign against Mr Morgan for the leadership of the Wales Labour Party in 1999.

Ms Morris resigned after coming under sustained media pressure over the A-level marking debacle, missed education targets and her intervention in an expulsion row.

She said she felt she had not done well enough in the job.

In a letter to Ms Morris, the prime minister said he was certain she would return to government.