The Chamberlain News

Cabinet reshuffle: who’s in, who’s out, who’s up and who’s down

In another day of Downing Street drama new Prime Minister Theresa May took a firm hold of her Government with a wide-ranging cabinet reshuffle that claimed some major scalps, and promoted several of her key supporters.

Michael Gove, whose decision to enter the Tory leadership race forced Boris Johnson to withdraw, was sacked as Justice Secretary and replaced by Liz Truss, formerly Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Secretary.

Other casualties included Education Secretary Nicky Morgan, who was replaced by ex-international development secretary Justine Greening, and Culture Secretary John Whittingdale, who was replaced by Staffordshire Moorlands MP Karen Bradley.

One of the biggest winners was Greg Clark, promoted from Communities and Local Government Secretary to head up a new super-department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, signalling the end of the Department of Energy and Climate Change.

Sajid Javid, MP for Bromsgrove, moves from Business Secretary to replace Mr Clark at the DCLG.

It is unclear whether Mr Javid, the Midlands Engine champion, will assume responsibility for pushing forward with devolution, or whether that task will pass to Mr Clark through his industrial strategy remit.

Andrea Leadsom, who pulled out of the Tory leadership race gifting the premiership to Mrs May, has been made Environment Food and Rural Affairs Secretary. Mrs Leadsom, a leading Brexiteer, will have to oversee tricky negotiations about scrapping the EU Common Agriculture Policy and devising a new system of subsidies for UK farmers.

Chris Grayling, who organised Mrs May’s leadership campaign, is rewarded by being promoted to Transport Secretary where he will be responsible for deciding whether the HS2 high speed rail line should be built as planned. He was shadow transport minister between 2005 and 2007 and voted for HS2 at the high speed rail bill’s third reading in the Commons.

Right-winger Priti Patel, a leading Brexiteer, is the new International Development Secretary.

Jeremy Hunt remains Health Secretary confounding reports by the BBC and other media outlets that he had been sacked, which prompted premature and rather short-lived celebrations at NHS hospitals across the country.

Damian Green takes over as Work and Pensions Secretary replacing Tory leadership contender Stephen Crabb who resigned for “personal reasons”.

Michael Fallon remains Defence Secretary.

James Brokenshire, who worked with Mrs May at the Home Office, becomes Northern Ireland Secretary. He takes over from Theresa Villiers, who resigned from the cabinet having been offered another role but saying it was not one “which I felt I could take on”.

Welsh Secretary Alun Cairns remains in post.

Gavin Williamson, who was David Cameron’s parliamentary private secretary (PPS), was handed a big promotion by being made Chief Whip, responsible for enforcing party discipline and making sure Government legislation gets through the House of Commons.

Patrick McLoughlin moves from Transport Secretary to become Conservative party chairman and replaces Oliver Letwin as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster with a seat in the cabinet.

Today’s announcements follow appointments made by Mrs May yesterday which included Boris Johnson as Foreign Secretary, Philip Hammond as Chancellor and Amber Rudd as Home Secretary.

Eurosceptic David Davis was made Brexit secretary and Liam Fox took up a new post of Secretary of State for International Trade. Michael Fallon was retained as Defence Secretary.