Rishi reshuffles as third minister quits

RISHI Sunak was hit with another ministerial resignation yesterday amid the Tory exodus ahead of the election.

Energy minister Graham Stuart said he was stepping down to focus on constituency issues after serving in various Government posts over eight years.

It is the third ministerial resignation within four weeks after former Armed Forces minister James Heappey quit last month joining former education minister Robert Halfon.

In his resignation letter, Mr Stuart said ‘we have achieved a lot in driving the energy transition’ and stressed that the prime minister had his full support.

He said he would be standing as an MP again at the next election in his constituency of Beverley and Holderness.

In a letter responding to Mr Stuart, the Prime Minister said: ‘You can be very proud of the role you have played in getting the UK halfway to Net Zero, having reduced our emissions further and faster than any other major economy.’ Mr Stuart has been replaced by Justin Tomlinson, former deputy Tory party chairman.

A total of 62 Conservative MPs have said they will be stepping down at the next election, expected in the Autumn.

In other changes, Minister of State for Development and Africa Andrew Mitchell has been given the additional title of Deputy Foreign Secretary.

With Foreign Secretary David Cameron in the House of Lords, Mr Mitchell has routinely answered questions on his behalf in the Commons.

Minister for Disabled People, Mims Davies, has been promoted to a minister of state in the Department for Work and Pensions.

Liberal Democrat deputy leader Daisy Cooper called for an immediate general election, saying: ‘The drumbeat of Conservative resignations is becoming deafening.’