Prime Minister Gordon Brown made a raft of changes to the government Friday, bringing back some of the Labour Party's stalwarts in a comprehensive shake-up meant to sharpen focus on the economy, AP reorted. Britain's BBC and Sky News reported that Brown was appointing new Cabinet ministers in areas such as business, defense and transport. Among the more surprising moves was the recall of European Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson from his post in Brussels to replace business secretary John Hutton. A «Cabinet reshuffle is taking place today,» Brown's office said in a statement posted on a Web site. It said that details of Brown's changes would be confirmed later on Friday. Blair's ex-Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett _ who won her first government post in 1975 and has worked under four Labour prime ministers _ will return with a post to enforce Brown's policies, the BBC said. The BBC reported that Ed Miliband _ the younger brother of Foreign Secretary David Miliband _ would head up a newly created ministry of energy and climate. The BBC said Hutton would be switched to become defense secretary, replacing Des Browne _ who has held two jobs, including the armed forces and Scotland briefs. Both Sky News and the BBC reported that Brown's chief whip Geoff Hoon _ a former defense secretary _ would take over the transport ministry. Vodafone chairman John Bond will head up a new economic panel formed to help Brown through the current economic turmoil, the BBC said. Brown had been widely expected to reshuffle his team before Britain's Parliament returns to business following a summer break next week.
