Junior minister Maria Eagle MP, a former solicitor, was today promoted by under-fire prime minister Gordon Brown.

Eagle, a parliamentary under-secretary of state at the Ministry of Justice since June 2007, was today appointed minister of state at the MoJ, one of several new ministerial appointments.

Michael Wills and David Hanson are the other ministers of state at the MoJ, which is led by justice secretary Jack Straw.

Shahid Malik stepped down as parliamentary under-secretary of state at the MoJ in mid-May, over allegations that he benefited from ‘discounted’ rent on his constituency home.