UK PoliticsHealth Minister Lord Darzi Quits
Health minister Lord Darzi quits
Lord Darzi, the leading surgeon brought into Gordon Brown’s government as a health minister, is to resign.Downing Street confirmed he will remain as a government adviser but quit as a minister “to devote more time to his clinical role and academic research”. No 10 said he will take on a new role as health and life sciences ambassador. Lord Darzi was one of several non-political figures brought into Mr Brown’s “government of all the talents” dubbed “Goats” by commentators. Last year he published his review setting out plans for the next 10 years of the NHS in England. In a statement, Downing Street said the prime minister had thanked him for an “outstanding contribution” as a health minister. “He will take on a new role as a health and life sciences ambassador for the government and will chair a new NHS Global forum to promote the NHS and the UK’s life-sciences industry around the world,” it said. “Lord Darzi will also advise on health reforms in both the NHS and our global public health.” Of the other “Goats” to join Gordon Brown’s government in 2007, the foreign office minister Lord Malloch Brown, is due to stand down at the end of July, former CBI boss Lord Digby Jones quit as trade minister last year and former Ofcom boss Lord Carter recently signalled his intention to quit as minister for communications and broadcasting. But Lord West, the former First Sea Lord, remains as security minister.
Source:BBC
