Cabinet reshuffle means shake-up at Treasury

Gordon Brown's reshuffle of the cabinet following the resignation of Peter Hain has led to some significant changes at the Treasury, it has emerged.

Chancellor Alistair Darling, currently under fire from small business leaders over his handling of the controversial capital gains tax issue, has a new number two, with Yvette Cooper becoming chief secretary to the Treasury.

The former housing minister takes over from Andy Burnham, who also moves into a new position by becoming culture secretary, the Guardian reports.

Ms Cooper's promotion means that the prime minister has made history by installing the first ever married couple in cabinet positions - she is the wife of children's secretary and Brown confidante Ed Balls.

The newspaper interprets the changes as "reinforcing the Brownite grip on the Treasury", as Ms Cooper is "another of the prime minister's inner circle" in addition to Darling.

One of Mr Burnham's last tasks as chief secretary to the Treasury was to meet with representatives from the Confederation of British Industry and Institute of Directors to discuss the proposed changes to capital gains tax.

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