Greening resigns from Cabinet after refusing to switch role in reshuffle
FORMER education secretary Justine Greening’s dramatic departure from Government stood out last night in an otherwise highly cautious Cabinet reshuffle.
Ms Greening quit following a refusal to be switched to the Department for Work and Pensions after fighting her corner in Downing Street for two hours.
In what had been billed as a chance to reset and refresh the Government, Prime Minister Theresa May left all senior Cabinet ministers in place and failed to move a swathe of middle-ranking members who had been widely reported to be facing the axe. Ms Greening, who could now become a backbench thorn in the Prime Minister’s side on Brexit, was succeeded as Education Secretary by Damian Hinds.
The job Ms Greening turned down, Work and Pensions Secretary, was given instead to Esther McVey, who triggered controversy when she was a junior minister in the department under David Cameron.
The Cabinet “big four” of Chancellor Philip Hammond, Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, Home Secretary Amber Rudd and Brexit Secretary David Davis all stayed in place.
Transport Secretary Chris Grayling, Business Secretary Greg Clark and Commons Leader Andrea Leadsom also kept their jobs, despite widespread speculation that Mrs May would demote them. Jeremy Hunt was also kept on as Health Secretary.
Former justice secretary David Lidington was appointed minister for the Cabinet Office, but was not awarded the title of First Secretary of State enjoyed by his predecessor Damian Green.
It was Mr Green’s resignation after he admitted lying over pornography on his office computer that prompted the reshuffle.
Mr Lidington will fill in for Mrs May at Prime Minister’s Questions and take on some of the responsibilities for chairing influential Cabinet committees, including some relating to Brexit.
Brandon Lewis has been named the new party chairman, amid farcical scenes which saw the Tories’ official Twitter account incorrectly announce that the job had gone to Mr Grayling.