Byers resignation: News management of highest quality

It had been demanded countless times by countless politicians and newspapers, but when it came, Stephen Byers' resignation was still a stunning surprise.

Displaying a mastery of timing and presentation that had been singularly lacking at his own Transport Department, the announcement was a rare example of high quality news management.

Broadcasters were tipped off about 3pm, with print journalists half an hour later, both given the mysterious instruction to turn up to Downing Street at 4pm.

No details of the announcement were given, not even whether it covered domestic or foreign policy. One thing was clear, it was timed to create maximum impact on the evening news bulletins. But the order to walk through the front door of Number 10, instead of the side entrance to the underground bunker that serves as the normal press briefing room, proved that something serious was afoot.

Even as the media assembled in the elegant surroundings of the Pillared Room on the first floor, some of the speculation was as wild as it was inaccurate.

Was President Bush stopping off in London on his way back to the US? Was John Prescott going to stand down? Had there been grave casualties in Afghanistan? Surely Cherie wasn't pregnant again?

It was only when word filtered through from a Downing Street aide – "when you see him, you'll know what the story is" – that Mr Byers' resignation became a serious probability.

Normally a Cabinet reshuffle would be presaged by carefully timed leaks, allowing a head of momentum to build up before a full-blown official announcement.

In this case, Downing Street had kept a tight lid on the news of the resignation ever since Mr Byers told Mr Blair of his decision at 3pm on Monday afternoon. Not a single political editor had prior notice of the revelation.

Within minutes of the decision on Monday, Alastair Campbell, the Prime Minister's Director of Communications and Strategy, together with Mr Blair's two official spokesman, Tom Kelly and Godric Smith, agreed tactics for the announcement.

When Mr Byers finally walked into the room at 4.10pm, his ashen expression said it all. Nervous and out of breath, he read a statement that repeated the loyal New Labour mantras about the importance of policy on education, the economy and transport.

Dressed in a black suit and black and dark gold tie, he glanced down at his notes throughout the three-and-a-half-minute speech. In a clear deal to go out with as much dignity as possible, he had been allowed to use the full finery of the Pillared Room for his very public political suicide.

Unfortunately, as Mr Byers left the room, the only presentational blunder became evident. Placed on a table was a vase of funereal white lilies.