Hit by a heavy defeat in local council elections last week and following scandals that concerned two of his senior ministers, British Prime Minister Tony Blair immediately re-shuffled his Cabinet in an attempt to give his government a fresh image and hopefully regain the support that the party has lost before the next general election, expected some time in 2009.

The Conservatives, with new leader David Cameron, earned their strongest electoral showing since 1992, making a net gain of 268 seats. Labour, for its part, lost a total of 259 out of the 4,360 places available in the 176 local councils across England.

The outcome has emboldened the opposition and it puts Tony Blair and his Labour government in trouble, although between now and the general polls a lot of water will have to pass under the bridge.

Some may liken what happened in Britain to what is happening in Malta, with the incumbent government losing three local council elections in a row. The Malta Labour Party is riding high on this fact. It has called for a reshuffle (which has not taken place) and it is saying that the people want a change. The similarity however stops at local election defeats, as the crisis Mr Blair has had to face because of some of his ministers’ behaviour cannot be equated with what is happening locally.

Last week’s election results have exposed all of Mr Blair’s difficulties. They were widely seen as a referendum on the government, and Labour’s strength is seen as having been stung hard. Mr Blair followed it up with a major Cabinet reshuffle, seen as being an effort to reassert his political authority.

Critics once said that Labour’s fortunes soared on Mr Blair’s ability to bring about diverse groups together. This skill is now, apparently, diminishing.

The replacement of the most visible minister, Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, came as no surprise to many. There were strong rumours that the two did not see eye to eye on foreign policy, particularly on the issues of Iran and Iraq. Mr Straw has publicly taken a different stand on Iran than Mr Blair, describing military action against Teheran as “inconceivable”, something that neither the Prime Minister nor US leaders would say.

Another minister, recently embroiled in politically damaging events, was also replaced. Home Secretary Charles Clarke decided to quit instead of taking another Cabinet post after the furore over his failure to order the deportation of foreign

criminals.

Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott kept his title despite admitting having an extra-marital affair with his secretary, but he was stripped of the responsibilities of his department, which included housing and planning. In other changes, John Reid left his post as Defence Secretary to take over from Mr Clarke and Des Browne moved from the Treasury to head the Defence Ministry.

These recent troubles have prompted calls that Mr Blair should himself step aside soon and let his likely successor, Treasury chief Gordon Brown, take over as Prime Minister. The 26 per cent obtained by Labour as against the Tories’ 40 per cent has increased the pressure.

Anthony Seldon, a biographer of Mr Blair, said that the Prime Minister understood that he had to carry out a thorough shake-up to win enough time in office to push through his agenda on health, pensions and other domestic issues. “This is the last chance to get it right. He realises time is running out,” Mr Seldon said.

It is safe to say that the local elections came at the wrong time for Mr Blair. The scandals that were given widespread coverage in the British media reduced Labour’s popularity probably more than any controversial policies would have done.

Whether the Cabinet changes made will improve Labour’s position remains to be seen. What is sure is that last week’s elections have encouraged the Conservatives, striving as they are to give their party a more moderate image.