Brown promotes two Muslim ministers

PM Gordon Brown has promoted both of his two junior Muslim ministers among government changes aimed to restore Labour`s declining popularity ahead of the next general election, which is due to be held by May 2010.

Parliamentary-under-secretary in the Department for International Development Shahid Malik has become a Justice Minister, while Sadiq Khan, an assistant government whip, has been given a new post in the Communities and Local Government Department.

Malik, aged 37, has also acted in his previous role as an unofficial ambassador in relations with Muslim countries, He said that he wanted to make Britain "a more just society" in his new post.

Both the MPs were the first Muslims to enter the government's ranks in July 2007, when Brown announced his new team after replacing Prime Minister Tony Blair.

Khan, who is aged 40 and a human rights lawyer, said at the time that he felt "a huge responsibility to use whatever influence I may have to help the most disillusioned and (...)