Blair goes for 'good cop, bad cop' as he tries to heal Labour wounds

Tony Blair moved to heal wounds in the Labour Party yesterday by appointing Ian McCartney, a favourite of the rank and file, as the party's chairman.

But in a clear "good cop, bad cop" strategy, the Prime Minister also appointed the combative John Reid as Leader of the Commons to impose Downing Street's will on rebellious backbenchers. Mr Reid, the former party chairman, was announced as the replacement for Robin Cook, who quit the Cabinet nearly three weeks ago in protest against the war.

The promotion of Mr McCartney from his role as pensions minister will hearten many Labour members given his long-time advocacy of stronger links between the Government, activists and trade unions. The Makerfield MP will remain chairman of the party's national policy forum as he tries to persuade the grass roots that they can have a greater say in Labour's next general election manifesto.

Many activists, angered by the war in Iraq, are threatening not to campaign in next month's local elections, and Mr McCartney will have to use all of his experience to persuade members.

Mr Reid, known as the Government's "minister for the Today programme", will continue in his role of putting Downing Street's case across in TV and radio interviews. He will also act as an "enforcer" in the Commons. One government source said yesterday he had been appointed to "sort out" any threats of rebellion over foundation hospitals and other policies.

Downing Street said yesterday that other ministerial appointments would be made "in slower time". Lord Hunt of Kings Heath, a Health minister, and John Denham, a Home Office minister, resigned shortly before the war began. A new pensions minister to fill Mr McCartney's post is not expected to be announced in the next few days.

Mr McCartney told BBC Radio 4's The World at One that he wanted to be "a voice for party members in Government". He said: "I'm very much on board with party members who are saying now that they want to make sure in the future that the Government is more and more involved with them. You can't have an effective long-term Government unless you have got an effective campaigning party at a local level."

Brendan Barber, TUC general secretary-elect, and Derek Simpson, joint general secretary of Amicus, both welcomed Mr McCartney's appointment.

But Paul Tyler, Liberal Democrat Commons spokesman, was unimpressed by Mr Reid's appointment. "MPs of all parties will react with dismay. He will have to make the mental switch from imposing the will of a party dictatorship to promoting the merits of parliamentary democracy," he said.

"After the biggest ever backbench rebellion, over Iraq, this was an opportunity for the Prime Minister to show that he cares about listening to the Commons. Unless Mr Reid now changes his style dramatically the gulf between Government and Parliament may widen to perilous proportions."

The activitsts' favourite

By Nigel Morris

Ian McCartney won universal respect among his peers when he delivered a moving tribute to his son, Hugh, after his death from a heroin overdose.

It was, he told mourners at Hugh's memorial service in 1999, the "nightmare every parent dreads and always hopes will never knock on their door".

Mr McCartney, an emotional, fiercely loyal man who has suffered several health problems, has gained many friends and surprisingly few foes during his rise through the Labour ranks. He is particularly close to John Prescott but is also respected by Tony Blair, who recognises his ability to connect with Labour activists. He played a crucial role earlier this year in persuading the Prime Minister to force private-sector companies to give contract workers the same rights as their own staff.

As a short, portly Glaswegian, he is as far as possible from the stereotype of a New Labour minister. But that is the point of his promotion. As one cabinet minister said last night: "He is the closest we have got to a male version of Clare Short."

The Blairite enforcer

By Andrew Clennell

John Reid, the Glaswegian Labour strongman praised as being one of the most surefooted members of Cabinet, is destined to provide a firm grip on the Commons.

The 55-year-old ex-Communist and ex-chain-smoker was a researcher for Neil Kinnock before being elected to Parliament in 1987.

Ten years later, when Labour swept to power, he was appointed Armed forces minister. Mr Reid's path in government seems to be as a troubleshooter who does not stay in one job too long.

He became Scottish Secretary in 1999, then was given the tough job as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland in 2001, before taking up the party chairman's job last October, when Charles Clarke became Secretary of State for Education.

Mr Reid, an articulate man with a good grasp of policy issues, is never scared to take on interviewers and has often been put up by the Government for media appearances. He has been a strong defender of the Prime Minister over the war, in contrast to his predecessor, Robin Cook.