Kelly resignation a setback as Brown rallies

GORDON Brown’s effort to stamp his authority on the British Labour party suffered a setback with the loss of a cabinet ally yesterday, after it was revealed that Ruth Kelly is resigning as transport secretary to spend time with her young family.

The surprise announcement threatened to take some of the shine off the British prime minister’s well-received speech to Labour’s conference in Manchester and pre-empted a long-awaited cabinet reshuffle, which is now expected to take place at the end of next week.

But Brown said he understood Kelly’s decision to quit in the upcoming reshuffle, which he insisted was “nothing to do with politics”.

Labour ministers believe his speech, with its promise of free National Health Service prescriptions for cancer sufferers, coupled with the relative absence of open rebellion at the gathering, have given the party fresh momentum which they hope will be reflected in polls and the crucial Glenrothes byelection expected on November 6.

Deputy leader Harriet Harman rounded off the conference with a bold declaration that “Labour’s fightback has begun”.

The final day also saw the announcement of plans for free school meals for all primary pupils, to be tested in two areas of England from September next year, as well as the naming of the first three struggling schools to merge with more successful neighbours under schools secretary Ed Balls’ National Challenge programme.

Kelly herself insisted her departure was not an indication of unhappiness with the direction in which Brown was taking the party but was “purely a decision that has been taken for family reasons”.