Premiership of Tony Blair 18 councils. This result was thought to be partly continued fallout from public dissatisfaction over the decision to invade Iraq, and partly due to a scandal concerning the Home Office's mishandling of the deportation of foreign criminals. At the same time, an affair of Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott with his diary secretary had been made public. Further, some Primary care and Hospital Trust sustained significant deficits and had to release staff, which called into question the position of Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt. On 5 May, Blair reshuffled his Cabinet. Most significantly, Home Secretary Charles Clarke and Foreign Secretary Jack
Principal Private Secretary to the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Principal Private Secretary to the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs The British Diplomatic Service post of Principal Private Secretary to the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs is the head of the Foreign Secretary's Private Office. The list below includes holders of the post of Private Secretary to the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and Principal Private Secretary to the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs up to 1968, when the office of Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs was created. In the 19th century, the Foreign Secretary might have only one