Darling to take over as British Transport Secretary

Mr Alistair Darling is to succeed Mr Stephen Byers as British Transport Secretary, it was announced today.

Mr Alistair Darling is to succeed Mr Stephen Byers as British Transport Secretary, it was announced today.

His post of Work and Pensions Secretary is being filled by Chief Secretary to Treasury Mr Andrew Smith.

Financial Secretary Mr Paul Boateng moves up to Chief Secretary to the Treasury in the re-shuffle prompted by Mr Byers's resignation yesterday.

Mr Darling said nothing when he left No 10 Downing Street, 54 minutes after arriving.

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Mr Boateng grinned as he left Downing Street but he refused to answer questions about whether he had become Britain's first black Cabinet minister.