Ms.Hewitt received the call from Number 10 on Friday afternoon and after seeing Tony Blair was appointed the new Secretary of State at the Department of Trade and Industry - she is also the new Minister for Women.

			"We need to keep the economy strong and strengthen our competition."
			Patricia Hewitt

During Labour's first term Ms.Hewitt was the Minister for Small Business and E-Commerce and is therefore well versed in the workings of the DTI.

Patricia Hewitt was first elected to parliament in Leicester West in May 1997, but had previously contested Leicester East in the general election of 1983.

Speaking on BBC Radio Leicester Ms. Hewitt told of her meeting with Tony Blair and the challenges ahead.