Cabinet reshuffle is delayed

6:32pm Thursday 2nd October 2008

Gordon Brown will not carry out his expected limited reshuffle of the Cabinet, officials have indicated.

Speculation of a widespread shake-up of his frontbench team has cooled in the context of a global financial crisis that has helped quieten Labour internal revolt.

Mr Brown's spokesman insisted that the Prime Minister remained "focused very much on the economic situation and that is his overwhelming priority".

But a smaller-scale revamp has been enforced by the public revelation of Ruth Kelly's desire to quit as Transport Secretary to spend more time with her family.

The timing of the reshuffle has not been confirmed but it is now thought most likely to be on Friday.