MP Green appointed to government role

Ashford MP Damian Green has been handed what is seen as one of the challenging posts in government - the minister for work and pensions.

He was appointed to the role by Prime Minister Theresa May and succeeds Stephen Crabb.

It is the MP’s third stint as a minister, having previously served as immigration minister under David Cameron and then the policing minister two years later.

In 2014, he lost his job in what was seen as surprising move, declaring he was “out but not down.”

He took a leading role in the Conservative campaign to remain in the EU and is a long-standing friend of the new PM.

While the role is considered tricky, the new minister had some good news to impart last week with official figures showing another drop in the unemployment rates.

He described the latest drop - an 11-year low - as “extraordinary” and would have been relieved to see that the fall was mirrored in his own constituency - albeit by the relatively low margin of 30, down to 1,020.

MP Damian Green is the new minister for work and pensions