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Women get key jobs as Theresa May sacks four senior ministers | Women get key jobs as Theresa May sacks four senior ministers |
(35 minutes later) | |
Theresa May is undertaking a swift and sweeping reconstruction of her cabinet, removing four senior ministers, including Michael Gove the justice secretary and Nicky Morgan, the education secretary, and promoting ministers including Justine Greening and Liz Truss. | |
Related: May's cabinet reshuffle: Michael Gove sacked, reports suggest - live updates | Related: May's cabinet reshuffle: Michael Gove sacked, reports suggest - live updates |
The departure of Gove was among May’s first moves on Thursday, after she made six key appointments the evening before. Among the other casualties were John Whittingdale, the culture secretary, and Oliver Letwin the Cabinet Office minister. | |
However, following numerous reports that Jeremy Hunt was going to lose his job as health secretary, Downing Street said he would remain in the role. Hunt tweeted that reports of his demise had been greatly exaggerated: | |
'Reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated...' Thrilled to be back in the best job in Government. | |
Theresa Villiers, the Northern Ireland secretary, left after refusing a move. She said on her Facebook page: “The new prime minister was kind enough to offer me a role but it was not one which I felt I could take on.” Villiers did not say what role she turned down. | |
In the first new appointment of the morning Truss, previously environment secretary, emerged from No 10 Downing Street to announce she had been appointed justice secretary and lord chancellor. She is the first woman in either role. | |
Greening has been promoted to education secretary and minister for women and equalities, moving from international development. She is the first education secretary to have attended comprehensive school and will run a beefed up department, taking in higher and further education from the department for business, innovation and skills. Other changes to Whitehall departments were rumoured, but nothing had been confirmed | |
The transport secretary, Patrick McLoughlin, had been moved to become chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Conservative party chairman, No 10 said. The former, non-portfolio job does not usually come with full cabinet status, though incumbents often attend. | |
Gavin Williamson, a Staffordshire MP who spent nearly three years as David Cameron’s parliamentary private secretary, was promoted to become chief whip, Downing Street said. | Gavin Williamson, a Staffordshire MP who spent nearly three years as David Cameron’s parliamentary private secretary, was promoted to become chief whip, Downing Street said. |
The first Downing Street statement said four cabinet ministers had left the government. It added: “Their replacements will be announced in due course.” | |
Gove, who fell out badly with May over religious extremism when she was home secretary and he was education secretary, was dismissed on Thursday morning, according to sources. | Gove, who fell out badly with May over religious extremism when she was home secretary and he was education secretary, was dismissed on Thursday morning, according to sources. |
Gove had stood against May to replace David Cameron as Conservative leader but fell in the second round of voting. Shortly after his departure was confirmed, he wished best of luck to the new government. | Gove had stood against May to replace David Cameron as Conservative leader but fell in the second round of voting. Shortly after his departure was confirmed, he wished best of luck to the new government. |
It's been an enormous privilege to serve for the last six years. Best of luck to the new government - MG | It's been an enormous privilege to serve for the last six years. Best of luck to the new government - MG |
Morgan, who supported Gove’s leadership bid, has also been dismissed as education secretary. | Morgan, who supported Gove’s leadership bid, has also been dismissed as education secretary. |
She tweeted: | She tweeted: |
Ahead of the official announcements of new ministers, another incumbent left, announcing the news via Twitter. Whittingdale. whose tenure as culture secretary had seen a major re-examination of the BBC, tweeted that he had left the job: | |
Has been a privilege to serve as Culture Secretary. I wish my successor every success & will continue to support creative industries | Has been a privilege to serve as Culture Secretary. I wish my successor every success & will continue to support creative industries |
Downing Street’s announcement also gave news of the demise of Oliver Letwin, who had the non-departmental cabinet post of chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. Cameron had just made him head of his Brexit unit, a role now defunct. | Downing Street’s announcement also gave news of the demise of Oliver Letwin, who had the non-departmental cabinet post of chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. Cameron had just made him head of his Brexit unit, a role now defunct. |
There was a new leader of the House of Lords, Lady Evans, ennobled in 2014 after a career in thinktanks and education policy. | |
News of the awarding of six cabinet posts came hours after May went to Buckingham Palace to formally become prime minister. | |
The first post announced was Philip Hammond becoming chancellor of the exchequer. The former foreign secretary arrived at Downing Street to learn the news just as his predecessor George Osborne left via a back entrance after being sacked. | |
Then came more unexpected news, as Hammond’s old role as foreign secretary went to Boris Johnson. The former London mayor had been tipped to succeed Cameron after the EU referendum but his stock had fallen drastically after he left the leadership race when challenged by his former ally Gove. | |
The post of home secretary goes to Amber Rudd, the former energy secretary who only entered parliament in 2010. | |
Two other crucial posts went to strong Brexit supporters brought back from the cold. David Davis took on the new job of secretary of state for exiting the European Union, six years after he resigned as shadow home secretary to re-fight his parliamentary seat in a protest over detention without trial for terror suspects. | Two other crucial posts went to strong Brexit supporters brought back from the cold. David Davis took on the new job of secretary of state for exiting the European Union, six years after he resigned as shadow home secretary to re-fight his parliamentary seat in a protest over detention without trial for terror suspects. |
Liam Fox, who quit as defence secretary in 2011 amid revelations his close friend, the lobbyist Adam Werritty, had travelled with him on official business, was made secretary of another new ministry, for international trade. | Liam Fox, who quit as defence secretary in 2011 amid revelations his close friend, the lobbyist Adam Werritty, had travelled with him on official business, was made secretary of another new ministry, for international trade. |
The other announcement on Wednesday evening was that Michael Fallon would remain in his job as defence secretary. | The other announcement on Wednesday evening was that Michael Fallon would remain in his job as defence secretary. |