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7 May 2007
John Reid has announced he will stand down from the Cabinet when Tony Blair resigns as Prime Minister this summer.
Speaking on BBC One's The Politics Show on Sunday, Dr Reid said that standing down this summer when Mr Blair is expected to leave makes sense as it is a 'natural break period'.
In a letter to the Prime Minister, Dr Reid wrote, 'I want to thank you for having given me the opportunity to serve our country and in our government over the past 10 years.'
Taking time to 'listen, learn and reflect'
Before taking over as Home Secretary a year ago, Dr Reid had already served in nine ministerial posts, including stints at the departments of defence, transportation, and health.
'I've done nine jobs in 10 years, and I think from my point of view it's a good thing to be able... to get back to the grass roots,' Dr Reid explained in the televised interview.
In his letter to Tony Blair, the Home Secretary said he was grateful for having had the chance to reform and reconfigure the Home Office 'towards the great global challenges of immigration and counter-terrorism'.
After working non-stop at such a high level for so many years the Home Secretary wrote, he was ready for a break: 'This will, incidentally, also provide me personally with more time than is ever available while in office to discuss, listen, learn and reflect on the great issues of the next decade, especially that of Security, which even now confront us.'
'A great loss to the country'
Replying to Dr Reid's resignation letter the Prime Minister wrote that his decision to resign was 'a great loss to the party and the country'.
'Your political courage, your ability to analyse and get to the heart of an issue and your understanding of people, their concerns and their hopes, has been outstanding'.
Dr Reid will continue as Home Secretary until Mr Blair stands down.
