Johnson: Work and pensions?

Following Andrew Smith's resignation speculation is mounting that education minister Alan Johnson is set to become the new work and pensions secretary.

Other names in the frame include Patricia Hewitt, the trade secretary, and Ruth Kelly, the Treasury rising star.

Fellow education minister David Miliband, seen as one of the best minds in government, could also be in the running for promotion.

But some sources suggest the prime minister is poised to appoint Johnson to the pensions brief.

He won respect over his handling of the student top-up fees row - quelling Labour dissent at the unpopular policy.

A former postman, Johnson is seen as a Blairite safe pair of hands - who combines grassroots appeal with a reforming zeal.

His appointment would put distance between the Treasury and the welfare department - reducing Gordon Brown's powerbase across government.

Grammar school

Johnson was educated at Sloane Grammar School, Chelsea and worked for the Post Office before becoming a full-time officer of the Union of Communication Workers.

In that role he was responsible for national negotiations on behalf of 100,000 postal, delivery and sorting staff.
 
He became the youngest general secretary in the history of the UCW when he was elected to the post in January 1992.

Johnson served on the General Council of the TUC and was a member of Labour's National Executive Committee, and when the Union of Communication Workers and the National Communication Union merged in January 1995, he became joint general secretary.

1997 intake

He was elected Labour MP for Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle on May 1, 1997.

He has also spoken in the Commons on Post Office matters, the Jenkins Report (he is a leading advocate of electoral reform), working time, fairness at work, fisherman's compensation and the loss of the trawler "Gaul".
 
Johnson served on the trade and industry select committee until he was made PPS to the financial secretary to the Treasury in December 1997. A year later he became PPS to the Paymaster General.

He was made minister for competitiveness at the Department of Trade and Industry in the summer of 1999.

Following the 2001 general election, Johnson was promoted to being the minister of state for employment relations and regions, at the DTI. Industry was added to his portfolio in 2002.

In the reshuffle of June 2003, he was appointed a privy counsellor and made minister of state for lifelong learning, higher and further education at the Department for Education and Skills.

He is married to his second wife and has four children.