Angela Eagle joins Keith Bradley on the backbenches

Two ministers are axed and Lord Rooker moves out of the Home Office in a radical shake-up at the high-profile department.

Denying a "bloodbath" a Home Office spokesman described the reorganisation, the most sweeping outside Stephen Byers' split department, as springing from "hard political fact".

"We do have to make changes from time to time, as you have to make way for others so that they can make an impact as well. That is a hard political fact," he said.

Jails minister Beverley Hughes has been promoted to the post of minister of state for immigration in the second major overhaul of the department in under a year.

As the government braces itself for a battle with prison officers she is replaced by Hilary Benn as prisons minister.

The Leeds Central MP, who is the son of veteran Labour firebrand Tony Benn, was a special adviser to Blunkett for two years at the Department of Education following the 1997 election victory.

Benn will report to the Blairite minister, Lord Falconer, who has ousted Keith Bradley as criminal justice minister.

The Manchester MP will join Angela Eagle, Home Office minister for race relations, on the backbenches.

Falconer will take charge of ensuring the sweeping Auld criminal court reforms pass through parliament.

The review, conducted by Sir Robin Auld, proposes that thousands of defendants should lose the right to jury trial under the biggest shake-up of the criminal justice system for 30 years.

A lawyer by training, Falconer is a close friend of Tony Blair. The two men go back 30 years, having met during their Scottish public schooldays. They later shared a Wandsworth flat.

The minister will now be charged with the task of pushing through jury reforms which have previously fallen in the second chamber.

"Charlie Falconer brings a wealth of experience with him and will be a significant addition to our team as he takes forward reform of the criminal justice system and law reform, said the home secretary.

"I am looking forward to working with Hilary Benn again and am confident he will make his mark as prisons minister and supporting Charlie Falconer in the wider criminal justice brief."

Beverley Hughes is promoted to Lord Rooker's post as citizenship and immigration minister.

She will be assisted in the Lords by Lord Filkin - the husband of the former controversial parliamentary commissioner for standards - who is promoted from his role as a transport spokesman.

Lord Rooker completes the game of ministerial musical chairs moving sideways into Falconer's previous job as minister for housing and planning with responsibility for the dome, and serving in John Prescott's new office of the deputy prime minister.

"Jeff Rooker has been an outstanding minister here and I wish him every success in his new job. He has made a deep impression with the public and will be greatly missed," said Blunkett.

John Denham and Bob Ainsworth stay in post retaining their respective responsibilities as minister of state for crime reduction, policing and community safety and parliamentary under secretary for anti-drugs co-ordination and organised crime.