TMP Online

Britain’s most senior ethnic minority politician, Baroness Valerie Amos, who has served in the cabinet since 2003 - first as International Development Secretary and then as Leader of the Lords - leaves the government today. The first black, female cabinet minister has been nominated by Prime Minister Gordon Brown to become the EU’s ambassador to the African Union.

Baroness Patricia Scotland QC is widely tipped to enter the cabinet either as Baroness Amos’ replacement or as Attorney General. Sources say Baroness Scotland, who has studiously kept a low media profile, has not engaged in the usual party political infighting and is an eminent lawyer (the first black female QC, no less), would be a perfect candidate to succeed Lord Goldsmith in a post which many have said needs a less “political” occupant.

Meanwhile, Labour activists will be watching closely and hoping to see the other two ethnic minority ministers - David Lammy MP and Parmjit Dhanda MP - presently parliamentary under-secretaries at Culture and Education respectively, make it to at least minister of state level. Others tipped for promotion include Tooting MP, Sadiq Khan, who is presently Jack Straw MP’s parliamentary private secretary, Brent South’s Dawn Butler MP and Shahid Malik MP.