Cabinet of the United Kingdom

The Cabinet of the United Kingdom is a body consisting of the most senior ministers in the government of the United Kingdom, headed by the Prime Minister. Formally a committee of the Privy Council, it is the main executive body of the British Government. Traditionally, the Cabinet meets weekly on a Thursday morning.

All members of the Cabinet are drawn from either the House of Commons or the House of Lords.

Current members of the Cabinet

This is the current composition of the Cabinet following the reshuffle on May 5, 2006:

• Prime Minister: Tony Blair
• Deputy Prime Minister: John Prescott
• Chancellor of the Exchequer: Gordon Brown
• Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs: Margaret Beckett
• Secretary of State for the Home Department: John Reid
• Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain and Secretary of State for Justice: Lord Falconer of Thoroton
• Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Lords: Baroness Amos
• Lord Privy Seal and Leader of the House of Commons: Jack Straw
• Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government: Ruth Kelly
• Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport: Tessa Jowell
• Secretary of State for Defence: Des Browne
• Secretary of State for Education and Skills: Alan Johnson
• Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: David Miliband
• Secretary of State for Health: Patricia Hewitt
• Secretary of State for International Development: Hilary Benn
• Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and Secretary of State for Wales: Peter Hain
• Secretary of State for Trade and Industry: Alistair Darling
• Secretary of State for Transport and Secretary of State for Scotland: Douglas Alexander
• Secretary of State for Work and Pensions: John Hutton
• Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster: Hilary Armstrong
• Minister without Portfolio and Party Chair: Hazel Blears
• Chief Secretary to the Treasury: Stephen Timms
• Chief Whip and Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury: Jacqui Smith