1998: Peter Mandelson resigns as Trade Secretary over home loan

July 1998: Frank Field leaves the Government after Tony Blair refused to make him Social Security Secretary.

2000: Peter Kilfoyle resigns as junior defence minister over political differences

2001: Peter Mandelson resigns again, as Northern Ireland Secretary, over passport application of a wealthy Indian businessman

May 2002: Stephen Byers resigns as Transport Secretary after in-fighting in the Transport Department stemming from the e-mail send by Jo Moore, his special adviser

October 2002: Estelle Morris stepped down after 17 months as Education Secretary saying she felt out of her depth after controversy over the marking of A-levels and school standards

2003: Robin Cook resigns as Commons Leader in opposition to the Iraq war.

May 2003: Clare Short resigns as International Development Secretary, protesting that assurance to give the United Nations a key role in post-war reconstruction of Iraq had not been met.

June 2003: Alan Milburn leaves his post as Health Secretary, saying the demands of being a minister leave him too little time for his partner and young children

2004: Beverly Hughes, the Immigration Minister, quits after saying incorrectly she had not been told of concern at allegations from officials at an abuse of visa applications in Eastern Europe.

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