Cabinet support 'rock-solid' for Byers

The full Cabinet today rallied to the defence of Stephen Byers - with suggestions that he is victim of a media witch-hunt.

Downing Street said at today's weekly meeting that there is "rock-solid support around the Cabinet table" for the Transport Secretary.

The Prime Minister's spokesman added: " Everyone realises there is some individual on whom the media spotlight can move."

The hit-back was taken up by the Leader of the Commons, Robin Cook, who told MPs it was "wrong" for the media to criticise Mr Byers for his new year holiday. "I would like to know whether members of the press have taken fewer holidays than him in the past 12 months," he said.

Mr Byers's awaydays dealt with, the Cabinet discussed public services. Mr Blair, according to his spokesman, said ministers should accept there are serious problems in health and transport but should not concede "that all our public services are bad".

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