Hammond holds fort as ministers hit world stage

TWO months ago he was heading for the sack, but this week Philip Hammond will cement his remarkable political turnaround – by taking charge of the UK.

The Chancellor, so briefed against during the election that his departure was Westminster’s worst kept secret, has been told to hold the fort over the summer.

He will be the most senior minister in charge of the Government for two of the next three weeks as Mrs May goes on holiday abroad.

The role is effectively acting prime minister – though No10 disapproves of the description, noting Mrs May can still pick up anything important while away.

Mr Hammond will lead the Government’s response to any breaking events and liaise with Downing Street staff who would normally report to Mrs May. The development is all the more intriguing given that the Cabinet’s most ardent Brexiteers have been dispatched to the other side of the world

Boris Johnson, the Foreign Secretary and one-time leadership hopeful, will be in Australia and New Zealand after his visit to Japan.

Liam Fox, the International Trade Secretary who challenged Mrs May for the top job last summer, is in America for trade talks.

He will attend the first meeting of the US-UK working group before meeting Wilbur Ross, his opposite number in the Trump administration, and Paul Ryan, the Speaker of the House.

Chris Grayling, the Leave-