Suella’s striding back into her old job
Who’s who in the new Cabinet... ...and those who are out
RISHI Sunak assumed the daunting challenge of uniting the Conservative Party yesterday by assembling his top team to stabilise the economy.
The new Prime Minister’s most controversial appointment came when Downing Street announced Suella Braverman would walk back into her old job as Home Secretary less than a week after she was expelled from Liz Truss’s Government over a breach of the ministerial code.
The move to bring back the darling of the Tory right was welcomed by many but it caused anger among critics.
One furious ex-Cabinet minister branded the decision “absolutely diabolical” and added: “She is out of her depth.”
The Daily Express understands Home Office ministers are considering whether of not they can operate alongside Ms Braverman. But she later said: “We will work hard to control our borders, maintain our security and keep our streets safe.”
Mr Sunak, the third Prime Minster in seven weeks, was trying to heal the divisions with a unity Cabinet from all sides of the party as he handed key roles to those who served under Boris Johnson and Liz Truss as well as his closest allies.
Plaudits
Among them was Rishi fan Dominic Raab, who replaced Therese Coffey as Deputy Prime Minister and took on Justice Secretary, roles he had held under Mr Johnson. Ms Coffey, also Health Secretary under Truss, said she was happy to “go home” to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs as Environment Secretary.
Michael Gove will return to the Cabinet as Levelling Up Secretary after being dramatically sacked by Boris Johnson in July.
It is a role he won plaudits for from across the board.
But his return could be a tactical move as he has not held back from criticising the Government from the backbenches.
Recently-appointed Jeremy Hunt will continue as Chancellor in a bid to provide stability and press on with Monday’s fiscal statement.
James Cleverly, Ben Wallace and Kemi Badenoch kept their positions as Foreign Secretary, Defence Secretary and Trade Secretary respectively.
Mr Wallace has been adamant spending on Britain’s Armed Forces must rise in the face of growing threats from the likes of Russia and China.
He had secured increases to the defence budget. Mr Johnson initially agreed to raise the sum to 2.5 per cent of national income by the end of the decade – compared to the Nato minimum of two per cent – a commitment Ms Truss lifted to three per cent.
But it was not immediately clear whether that would survive under the new administration as Mr Hunt looks to balance the books.
In a bid for continuity, Northern Ireland Secretary Chris HeatonHarris remained in post.
Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Secretary Michelle Donelan and Secretary of State for Scotland Alister Jack also stayed where they were.
Experienced-hand
Steve Barclay was
given the top in the Department for Health, while Grant Shapps – another strong supporter of the new premier – replaced Mr Johnson backer Jacob Rees-Mogg, who resigned as Business Secretary.
He quit after conceding he would not get a job in the new Cabinet despite recanting his claim that Mr Sunak is a “socialist”. A Mr Rees
Mogg source said: “He knows he was very close to the previous two regimes and it didn’t seem likely he was going to be reappointed. He is happy to support the PM from the backbenches.”
Simon Hart was brought in as Chief Whip to restore party discipline after Mr Sunak warned the party must “unite or die”.
Penny Mordaunt, the twojob
time Tory leadership contender, will remain as Leader of the House of Commons.
She exited Downing Street with a stony face after more than an hour inside where she failed to secure a top Cabinet job.
Insiders earlier said she wanted to be Foreign Secretary.
Mr Sunak’s good friend Oliver Dowden was “delighted” to be made Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster while Nadhim Zahawi is the new Conservative Party Chairman and a Minister Without Portfolio.
He said: “It’s a great honour to be appointed chairman of the party I joined as a young man and has meant so much to me.
“I look forward to supporting Rishi Sunak in this role and in the Government as we take on the challenges ahead.”
Jake Berry, a champion of former Prime Minister Mr Johnson’s levelling-up agenda, stood down as the Tory chairman. He posted on Twitter: “It has been an honour to serve as the chairman but all good things must come to an end.
“I relish the opportunity to serve our great party and my constituents from the backbenches again.” Ranil Jayawardena quit as Environment Secretary, telling Mr Sunak: “I know that you wish for a new team to join you, so I write to stand aside.”
Robert Buckland, the first Cabinet minister to switch to Ms Truss from Mr Sunak in the previous leadership race, was replaced as Welsh Secretary by David TC Davies.
Kit Malthouse, a deputy under Mr Johnson when he was London Mayor, announced his departure as Education Secretary.
He said: “I leave with gratitude to officials, my private office team, and brilliant advisers, who all worked so hard. I hope my successor can harness their commitment to the most important mission in Whitehall – the future and welfare of our children.” Former skills minister Gillian Keegan became the fifth Education Secretary in under four months.
Lord True CBE was kept on as Lord Privy Seal, and Leader of the House of Lords.
Mel Stride replaced Sunak-supporting Chloe Smith as the Department for Work and Pensions Secretary, paving the way for another chairmanship election for the Treasury Select Committee.
Former Chief Whip Wendy Morton is returning to the backbenches while exJustice Secretary Brandon Lewis, one of the longest serving Cabinet ministers, also announced he would be joining her.
Vicky Ford revealed she had left her role as Minister of State in the Foreign Office.
Mark Harper was handed the role as Transport Secretary while John Glen was made Chief Secretary to the Treasury. Tom Tugendhat was reappointed as a Minister of State, to front up security, in the Home Office and will attend Cabinet meetings.
Ex-Education Secretary Sir GavinWilliamson returns to Government as a Minister Without Portfolio in the Cabinet Office.
Victoria Prentis was handed the role of Attorney General while Jeremy Quin was brought in as Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office.
And Johnny Mercer returns as Minister for Veterans’ Affairs in the Cabinet Office, after claiming Ms Truss laughed as she sacked him on becoming PM.
Last night he tweeted: “My determination to make this the best country in the world to be an Armed Forces veteran remains unbowed. Delighted to return to Cabinet.”
Labour last night criticised Ms Braverman’s reappointment – with Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper accusing Mr Sunak of “putting party before country”.