Brown prepares to reorganise cabinet

LONDON (Reuters) - Gordon Brown is carrying out a reshuffle of his cabinet on Friday ahead of the return of parliament next week, according to media reports.

He has to fill at least two positions following the announcements by Transport Secretary Ruth Kelly and Trade Minister Digby Jones that they want to step down.

Kelly also announced late on Thursday she will be quitting as an MP at the next election to spend more time with her family.

Brown is expected to make only modest changes to the senior tier of government after three cabinet heavyweights -- Health Secretary Alan Johnson, Chief Whip Geoff Hoon and Foreign Secretary David Miliband -- announced they did not want to move.

Jones, a former head of the Confederation of British Industry and a member of the House of Lords, was made a minister soon after Brown took power in June last year, even though he was not a member of the Labour party.

Jones said on Thursday he had always intended to go at Brown's first reshuffle and his departure was not a comment on the prime minister's leadership.

(Reporting by Tim Castle; Editing by Steve Addison)