Full list and profiles of new Cabinet

Gordon Brown unveiled an almost completely new Cabinet today as he attempted to make good on his pledge for a "politics of change" after the Blair years, including Britain's first ever female Home Secretary and its youngest Foreign Secretary for 30 years.

In a huge overhaul which saw only one Blair-era Cabinet minister remain in his post, the Prime Minister appointed Jacqui Smith, formerly the Chief Whip, as Home Secretary, and David Miliband as Foreign Secretary. Mr Milband, 41, becomes the youngest holder of that office since the appointment of the 38-year-old David Owen in 1977.

For the first time, a married couple will sit in Cabinet. Ed Balls, Mr Brown's long-time economic adviser, will head a new Department for Children and Schools while his wife Yvette Cooper is named Housing Minister, without full Cabinet rank but invited to sit in on its meetings.

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Brown's introduction of the first ever female Home Secretary from the obscurity of the Chief Whip's office aims to send a powerful message of change

Philip Webster

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And with Mr Miliband's brother, Ed, also promoted, two brothers will set in Cabinet for the first time since Sir Auckland and Eric Geddes served in Lloyd-George's 1919 line-up.

But, despite Labour's long deputy leadership contest, Mr Brown has decided to do away with the post of Deputy Prime Minister. The winner of that contest, Harriet Harman, has been appointed Leader of the House of Commons.

Ms Smith's appointment as the first ever female Home Secretary was the most eye-catching. The Prime Minister regards the former Chief Whip as a vital figure in the smooth and orderly transition of power between himself and Tony Blair. As head of the Home Office, she will be in charge of the battle against terrorism, national security and policing.

David Miliband, meanwhile, was appointed as Foreign Secretary today, the youngest since a 38-year-old David Owen took the post before the first Thatcher Government.

Standing outside the Foreign Office at 12.15pm, Mr Miliband - who was himself widely tipped as Mr Brown's rival for the Labour leadership, before ruling himself out - said: "I’m tremendously honoured and absolutely delighted to be asked by the new Prime Minister to become the new Foreign Secretary."

He added that he wanted to bring leadership to the Foreign Office which was "patient as well as purposeful".

Other key appointments today saw Jack Straw, formerly Leader of the House of Commons and Foreign Secretary, named Justice Secretary, in charge of courts and prisons.

In his most significant reform move, Mr Brown also split two government departments.

The Department for Education and Skills was divided in two with the establishment of a new Department for Children and Schools which is to be headed by Mr Balls and a new Innovation, Universities and Skills Department, to be led by John Denham.

The Department for Trade and Industry was also overhauled, with a new Department for Business and Enterprise set up to be headed by John Hutton.

Shaun Woodward, the former Tory defector, was named as Northern Ireland Secretary, replacing Peter Hain.

The massive overhaul means that only Des Browne, the Defence Secretary, remains in his job - although he was also named Secretary of State for Scotland.

Elsewhere in the new Cabinet:

* Alistair Darling will take over in the Prime Minister's old job of Chancellor, as widely predicted.

* Peter Hain, the former Northern Ireland Secretary, will replace Mr Hutton as Work and Pensions Secretary. He will remain Welsh Secretary.

* Douglas Alexander will be moved from Transport to become International Development Secretary.

* Alan Johnson will shift from Education to become Health Secretary.

* Hazel Blears will be the Communities and Local Government Secretary.

* Ruth Kelly will be the Transport Secretary.

* James Purnell will become Culture Secretary.

* Baroness Scotland will be the new Attorney General.

* Geoff Hoon will be Chief Whip.

* Tessa Jowell will be the new Olympics Minister, with a seat on the Cabinet.

* Ed Miliband, David Miliband's brother, will be Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, in charge of the Cabinet Office.

* Andy Burnham will be Chief Secretary to the Treasury.

* Hilary Benn will be the new Environment Secretary.

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