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| Version 5 | Version 6 |
|---|---|
| Woodward to get 'big promotion' | Woodward to get 'big promotion' |
| (19 minutes later) | |
| Speculation is intensifying that Northern Ireland Secretary of State Shaun Woodward could be moved to another post in the Cabinet reshuffle. | |
| BBC political correspondent John Pienaar said Mr Woodward is in line for "a big promotion." | BBC political correspondent John Pienaar said Mr Woodward is in line for "a big promotion." |
| Mr Woodward, who has has held the safe Labour seat of St Helens since 2001, told the BBC he had not yet had a call from the prime minister. | |
| He also said he was confident in Gordon Brown's leadership. | |
| "What we're seeing today is a Cabinet coming behind Gordon Brown, a reshuffle under way -- a reshuffle to serve the country. That's our job and that's what we should do," he said. | |
| Mr Woodward was a Conservative MP between 1997 and 1999 when he defected to Labour. | Mr Woodward was a Conservative MP between 1997 and 1999 when he defected to Labour. |
| He moved up the ministerial ranks, joining the Cabinet for the first time two years ago. | He moved up the ministerial ranks, joining the Cabinet for the first time two years ago. |
| 'Very strong' | |
| He had been linked to to the job of Home Secretary which will be vacated when Jacqui Smith steps down, but that has gone to Health Secretary Alan Johnson. | He had been linked to to the job of Home Secretary which will be vacated when Jacqui Smith steps down, but that has gone to Health Secretary Alan Johnson. |
| Some political sources have also linked him with the Defence Secretary job. | Some political sources have also linked him with the Defence Secretary job. |
| John Hutton is standing down as Defence Secretary and is leaving the Cabinet. | John Hutton is standing down as Defence Secretary and is leaving the Cabinet. |
| Gordon Brown is shaking up his cabinet after Thursday's European and English local elections. | |
| Mr Woodward said the prime minister's mood was "very strong, very resilient". | |
| "It's almost when things are at their toughest that you see the real mettle of this person," he said. | "It's almost when things are at their toughest that you see the real mettle of this person," he said. |
| He said he had not, so far, been moved from the Northern Ireland Office. | He said he had not, so far, been moved from the Northern Ireland Office. |