London: UK Prime Minister Tony Blair fired his law and order chief on Friday and chose a new foreign secretary in a wide-ranging Cabinet shuffle after his party suffered a heavy defeat in local authority elections.
Home Secretary Charles Clarke, embroiled in a furor over the failure to deport foreign criminals, confirmed Blair had removed him from office.
Blair demoted Jack Straw from the post of foreign secretary, replacing him with Margaret Beckett, who had headed the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott, who recently admitted an affair with a secretary, will keep his title.
Defence Secretary John Reid was moved to the Home Office to replace Clarke, and Des Browne was promoted from chief secretary at the Treasury to secretary of defence.
Clarke said he had turned down offers of other government posts.
"I do not think it would be appropriate to remain in this government in these circumstances," Clarke said in a statement.
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