Terror move in Tory reshuffle

Parliament has reinforced its anti-terror measures recently

Plans to protect the UK from terrorist attack are to come under new scrutiny after the Conservatives' reshuffle.

Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith has made former Army officer Patrick Mercer shadow minister for homeland security.

Mr Mercer will not be in the shadow cabinet, although his party has urged Tony Blair to appoint a similar post within the cabinet - as happens in America.

The shadow cabinet remains unchanged after the reshuffle, but three MPs who resigned in protest over the Iraq war are back on the front bench.

Humfrey Malins returns as home affairs spokesman, John Baron is a shadow health minister again and John Randall is back in the whips' office.

Moynihan was sports minister under Margaret Thatcher

In other changes, former Sports Minister Colin Moynihan is to shadow his old job, although from the House of Lords.

New faces on the front bench are Bill Wiggin at environment, David Cameron as shadow leader of the Commons and Paul Goodman as spokesman for disabled people.

The reshuffle also sees Michael Fabricant made a shadow trade and industry minister, while there are new jobs too for Lawrence Robertson at trade, Julian Brazier at home affairs and Nick Hawkins as shadow solicitor general.

Eleanor Laing, who already had an education brief, will now also shadow the new minister for children role taken by Labour's Margaret Hodge.

Chairman stays

Former frontbencher Nigel Waterson also returns as minister for disabled people and Peter Duncan, the only Tory MP in Scotland, becomes the deputy Scottish affairs spokesman.

Mr Duncan Smith has also replaced Robert Key, who leaves his post as shadow international development minister, with Andrew Robathan.

Another departure from the front bench is John Greenway, who has stood down as sports spokesman to concentrate on the gambling bill going through Parliament.

Earlier this year there were newspaper reports that Mr Duncan Smith was preparing to sack party chairman Theresa May and to promote former cabinet minister John Redwood.

But with his party enjoying some recent opinion poll results and Mr Blair criticised for his recent reshuffle, Mr Duncan Smith appears to be satisfied with his senior team.

The Tory leader has not exactly mirrored the government's new-shape cabinet, although shadow attorney-general Bill Cash will add constitutional affairs to his brief.