Vaz out, Harman in

Mr Vaz leaves the government, while Ms Harman returns

Europe Minister Keith Vaz has been sacked and former Social Security Secretary Harriet Harman recalled to government in the final phase of Tony Blair's ministerial reshuffle.

And in a move that took Westminster by surprise, Mr Blair's long-time political secretary, Sally Morgan, has been made a peer - and named as a minister of state at the Cabinet Office.

Former Welsh First Minister Alun Michael is also returning to government - as environment minister.

Mr Twigg becomes parliamentary secretary to Robin Cook.

At the same time, it has been announced that the prime minister's salary has been increased by about £50,000 to £163,000 a year.

The pay of cabinet ministers will rise from about £100,000 to £118,000 a year.

Ms Harman, who angered left-wingers by sending her son to a selective grant-maintained school, was sacked in Tony Blair's first reshuffle in 1998.

She returns as solicitor general.

She will speak on legal matters under the new attorney general, Lord Goldsmith, who was made a peer in 1999.

Sport

Another high profile casualty was Sports Minister Kate Hoey.

She is replaced by Richard Caborn.

Former Pensions Minister Jeff Rooker, who retired at the election to go to the Lords, has been made Home Office Minister with responsibility for asylum.

Former transport minister Lord Macdonald beomes the government's "enforcer" at the Cabinet Office, where he will be joined by former immigration minister Barbara Roche.

Lord Falconer stays in charge of the Dome, but adds housing and planning to his portfolio.

Mr Benn: following in his father's footsteps.

Former financial secretary to the Treasury Stephen Timms takes over schools at the Department of Education and Skills, while former employment minister Margaret Hodge joins the same department to look after universities.

Those joining the government for the first time include Denis MacShane and Ben Bradshaw, who become junior ministers at the foreign office, and Hilary Benn, son of veteran leftwinger Tony Benn, who enters the Department for International Development.

Stephen Twigg, who famously won Michael Portillo's Enfield Southgate seat in 1997 and increased his majority in 2001, has been made parliamentary secretary to Leader of the Commons Robin Cook.

And for the first time in history, there are twins in the government, with Maria Eagle joining her sister Angela in the junior ranks.

A total of 22 ministers have left the government.

They include Agriculture Minister Joyce Quin and International Development Minister Chris Mullin, who have quit at their own request.

The most predictable loser was Mr Vaz, whose demise was widely expected following recent ill-health and persistent allegations about his financial conduct.

He is replaced by former Energy Minister Peter Hain.

'Intolerable pressure'

Mr Vaz's return to the backbenches was confirmed just hours after he was discharged from Leicester Royal Infirmary, where he had spent the weekend recovering from an infection.

In an exchange of letters, the prime minister thanked Mr Vaz "for all your hard work".

Mr Blair wrote: "You have been put under intolerable pressure recently, which can only have aggravated your illness.

"I hope you will now have the chance for a proper rest."

Kate Hoey was known to have clashed with her boss, culture secretary Chris Smith and her predecessor as sports minister, Tony Banks.

All three have been blamed for the political fall-out from the ill-fated Wembley Stadium project.