Foreign Office Minister Mallock-Brown Resigns

Labour's Lord Malloch-Brown today resigned from the Cabinet for "strong personal and family" reasons.

The peer, a former top UN diplomat, stood down from his Foreign Office post insisting he "greatly admired" the Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

Lord Malloch-Brown, whose remit included African, Asian and UN affairs, said he entered politics making it clear he would "never do the job forever".

Prior to accepting a peerage, and a subsequent government job, Lord Malloch-Brown acted as Kofi Annan's second-in-command at the United Nations.

Today he stressed his resignation was not politically motivated, and purely related to personal and family matters.

Lord Malloch-Brown said the government had his continued support.

Downing Street has yet to name his successor at the Foreign Office.

In a statement, Lord Malloch Brown said he had entered government "as a professional not a politician".

"My decision to step down at the end of July is not in any way a commentary on the political situation.

"I joined the government at his invitation to help promote his international priorities. It has been a great privilege to do that, and to work with him and with David Miliband."

Lord Malloch-Brown's appointment in 2007 was part of Gordon Brown's so-called 'government of all talents', or 'goats'.

Mr Brown said collective knowledge among the Cabinet would produce better policy.

Several high-profile 'goats' minister have since left government, including Communications Minister Lord Carter and Trade Minister Digby Jones.

However, former First Sea Lord, Lord West has remained at the department of defence, and experienced surgeon Lord Darzi still works as a junior health minister.

(PR/JM)