The Chancellor: Alistair Darling

Alistair Darling's appointment as Chancellor had been so widely predicted that bookmakers had stopped taking bets on the identity of Gordon Brown's successor.

His arrival in the Treasury confirms there will be no major change in economic policy following Mr Brown's switch to 10 Downing Street.

But there are clouds on the horizon for the new Chancellor, a lawyer by training. Interest rates are rising and fears intensifying that the relentless rises in house prices cannot be sustained.

Mr Darling, 53, Mr Brown and Jack Straw are the only three ministers to have served in the Cabinet since the 1997 Labour landslide.

He has always been regarded as one of the new Prime Minister's most loyal allies, their close relationship rooted in Scottish Labour politics.

Mr Darling followed Mr Brown into the Treasury as his deputy 10 years ago, impressing colleagues with his ability to master a complicated brief.

He was appointed Social Security Secretary in 1998 after Harriet Harman was fired and Transport Secretary in 2002 following the resignation of Stephen Byers. A year later he took on the additional responsibility of Scottish Secretary.

In 2005, he became Trade and Industry Secretary, again working closely with Mr Brown.

The generally low-profile minister has recently attracted controversy by announcing plans for a new generation of nuclear power stations and confirming sweeping cuts to the post office network.

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