Radically reshuffled Cabinet aims to restore public trust

Gordon Brown has sought to draw a line under the Blair era by producing proposals to restore trust in politics and appointing critics of the Iraq war to his government.

A special meeting of the Cabinet today will discuss wide-ranging constitutional reforms designed to clean up politics and bridge the gulf between politicians and the public. Mr Brown will announce the Cabinet's decision in the Commons on Monday. After the most sweeping reshuffle since the Second World War yesterday, the Prime Minister will reveal the rest of his administration today. Three Liberal Democrats are tipped for roles as advisers as Mr Brown unveils a "government of all the talents".

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Lord Lester of Herne Hill is expected to play a leading role in all-party talks on the constitution. Mr Brown has also approached Baroness Williams of Crosby and Baroness Neuberger. The three politicians would not have to resign the Liberal Democrat whip to act as government advisers.

Sir Digby Jones, the former director general of the CBI, will be made a peer and appointed a trade minister to promote British industry.

Constitutional reforms under discussion include a new code of conduct for ministers; a new Civil Service Act to rein in political advisers; handing more powers to Parliament, such as the right to declare war; devolving power from central to local government; and a "people's convention" to help draw up a statement of rights, responsibilities and the roles of Parliament, government and the judiciary.

Only only one of the 23 members of Tony Blair's cabinet, Des Browne, the Defence Secretary, kept the same job as Mr Brown promoted several rising Labour stars, including prominent Blairites. Jacqui Smith, 44, became the first woman Home Secretary and David Miliband, at 41, the youngest Foreign Secretary for 30 years. Two other Blairities, Andy Burnham and James Purnell, joined the Cabinet.

The Prime Minister showed his desire to "move on" from Iraq by recalling John Denham, who resigned over the war and entered the Cabinet as head of a new Department of Innovation, Universities and Skills.

Sir Mark Malloch Brown, who as deputy secretary general of the UN was a critic of George Bush's "war on terror", becomes a Labour peer and Foreign Office minister for Africa, Asia and the UN. In an interview with The Independent in September last year, he described Iraq as Mr Blair's "coffin" and his refusal to call for an immediate ceasefire in Lebanon as "the nail" that reminded people of the Iraq conflict.

The Tories challenged the decision to pay a cabinet member's £136,677 salary to Harriet Harman, the deputy Labour leader, who was appointed Leader of the Commons. Theresa May, the shadow Leader of the Commons, said that Ms Harman also has "three other jobs, two of which are explicitly party political".