Important snapshots and quotes of Election 2005

Blair reappoints finance minister Brown and foreign minister Jack Straw but changes other ministers to freshen up his team.

Britain's Blair withstands anger over the Iraq war to secure a historic third straight victory -- but a slashed majority in parliament could sink his ambition to serve out a full term

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*Blair reappoints finance minister Gordon Brown and foreign minister Jack Straw but changes host of other ministers to freshen up his team after winning a third straight election.

* Britain's Conservative party faces a period of turbulence after Michael Howard says he will quit as leader of the once-mighty party of Winston Churchill and Margaret Thatcher following modest gains in Thursday's election.

* Sterling slips against the dollar and touches a two-week low against the euro as British election results show Blair has returned to power but with a greatly reduced majority.

Quotes

* "It seems as if it is clear that the British people wanted the return of a Labour government but with a reduced majority ... We will have to respond to that sensibly and wisely and responsibly" -- Blair

* "Iraq has been a deeply divisive issue in this country ... (But) after this election people want to move on" -- Blair

* "As I can't fight it (the next election) I think it is better for me to stand aside ... I intend to stay as leader until the party has had the opportunity to consider whether it considers those (leadership) rules should be changed" -- Howard.