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| Theresa May, New British Prime Minister, Fires Justice Secretary Michael Gove | Theresa May, New British Prime Minister, Fires Justice Secretary Michael Gove |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| LONDON — Michael Gove, one of Britain’s most polarizing politicians and the man at the center of much recent intrigue in the governing Conservative Party, was fired on Thursday by the new prime minister, Theresa May, as she overhauled the cabinet. | LONDON — Michael Gove, one of Britain’s most polarizing politicians and the man at the center of much recent intrigue in the governing Conservative Party, was fired on Thursday by the new prime minister, Theresa May, as she overhauled the cabinet. |
| Ms. May, who took power on Wednesday after David Cameron formally stepped aside, continued to make big changes after her early — and most surprising — decision to appoint Boris Johnson, the former London mayor, as foreign secretary. | Ms. May, who took power on Wednesday after David Cameron formally stepped aside, continued to make big changes after her early — and most surprising — decision to appoint Boris Johnson, the former London mayor, as foreign secretary. |
| The appointment of Mr. Johnson, an outspoken critic of British membership in the European Union whose political future looked to be in doubt after Mr. Gove, the justice secretary, essentially forced him out of the race to become prime minister, was met with some bemusement and concern abroad. | The appointment of Mr. Johnson, an outspoken critic of British membership in the European Union whose political future looked to be in doubt after Mr. Gove, the justice secretary, essentially forced him out of the race to become prime minister, was met with some bemusement and concern abroad. |
| The French foreign minister, Jean-Marc Ayrault, speaking on Thursday on Europe 1 radio, said he was “not at all worried” about Mr. Johnson, but he added, “You know full well what his style is, his method — during the campaign he lied a lot to the British people.” | The French foreign minister, Jean-Marc Ayrault, speaking on Thursday on Europe 1 radio, said he was “not at all worried” about Mr. Johnson, but he added, “You know full well what his style is, his method — during the campaign he lied a lot to the British people.” |
| Speaking about Britain, he said, “we need a partner that we can negotiate with, who is clear, credible and reliable.” | Speaking about Britain, he said, “we need a partner that we can negotiate with, who is clear, credible and reliable.” |
| Mr. Ayrault said that Mr. Johnson had much at stake, on several fronts. “Now he is the one who has his back against the wall: He has his back against the wall to defend his country, but he also has his back against the wall to ensure that the relationship with Europe is clear,” Mr. Ayrault said. | Mr. Ayrault said that Mr. Johnson had much at stake, on several fronts. “Now he is the one who has his back against the wall: He has his back against the wall to defend his country, but he also has his back against the wall to ensure that the relationship with Europe is clear,” Mr. Ayrault said. |
| He urged Britain to quickly initiate the process to leave the European Union, saying, “We cannot let this ambiguous and murky situation last, in the interest of the British themselves, I would even say.” | |
| In naming Mr. Johnson foreign secretary, Ms. May apparently judged that it was better to have him as a member of her team than as a free agent outside it. While he will have a central role in defining Britain’s place in the world in the aftermath of the June 23 referendum in which voters backed a withdrawal from the European Union, he was notably not given responsibility for two of the most immediate challenges facing the new government: negotiating the terms of an exit from the bloc and negotiating new trade deals with the rest of the world. | In naming Mr. Johnson foreign secretary, Ms. May apparently judged that it was better to have him as a member of her team than as a free agent outside it. While he will have a central role in defining Britain’s place in the world in the aftermath of the June 23 referendum in which voters backed a withdrawal from the European Union, he was notably not given responsibility for two of the most immediate challenges facing the new government: negotiating the terms of an exit from the bloc and negotiating new trade deals with the rest of the world. |
| Mr. Gove’s fate had been the source of immense speculation, especially in light of his tense relationship with Ms. May, and his was one of the most high-profile departures along with that of George Osborne, who was replaced on Wednesday as chancellor of the Exchequer by Philip Hammond, who moved from the foreign office. Liz Truss, the environment secretary, will replace Mr. Gove as justice secretary. | Mr. Gove’s fate had been the source of immense speculation, especially in light of his tense relationship with Ms. May, and his was one of the most high-profile departures along with that of George Osborne, who was replaced on Wednesday as chancellor of the Exchequer by Philip Hammond, who moved from the foreign office. Liz Truss, the environment secretary, will replace Mr. Gove as justice secretary. |
| Ms. Truss, in turn, was replaced on Thursday by Andrea Leadsom, who had been the sole remaining challenger to Ms. May to lead the Conservative Party until she abruptly dropped out on Monday. Ms. Leadsom then threw her support behind Ms. May, a move that cleared the way for her to lead the party and become prime minister. | |
| Mr. Gove had been moved to the position of justice secretary after a spell as the education secretary during which he angered teachers’ unions and some parents with a series of policy changes. He also clashed with Ms. May, then the home secretary, over allegations of extremism in state schools in Birmingham. | Mr. Gove had been moved to the position of justice secretary after a spell as the education secretary during which he angered teachers’ unions and some parents with a series of policy changes. He also clashed with Ms. May, then the home secretary, over allegations of extremism in state schools in Birmingham. |
| More recently, Mr. Gove emerged as a central, and treacherous, figure in the drama before and after the referendum. | More recently, Mr. Gove emerged as a central, and treacherous, figure in the drama before and after the referendum. |
| First, he abandoned his friend and ally, Mr. Cameron, who wanted Britain to remain in the 28-nation bloc. Then, he went on to play a leading role, along with Mr. Johnson, in campaigning for a “Brexit,” as it is commonly known. | First, he abandoned his friend and ally, Mr. Cameron, who wanted Britain to remain in the 28-nation bloc. Then, he went on to play a leading role, along with Mr. Johnson, in campaigning for a “Brexit,” as it is commonly known. |
| After Mr. Cameron announced plans to resign after the vote, Mr. Gove turned on Mr. Johnson by entering the race to head the Conservative Party. | After Mr. Cameron announced plans to resign after the vote, Mr. Gove turned on Mr. Johnson by entering the race to head the Conservative Party. |
| In doing so, Mr. Gove undermined Mr. Johnson, arguing that he did not have the qualities needed to take over from Mr. Cameron. | In doing so, Mr. Gove undermined Mr. Johnson, arguing that he did not have the qualities needed to take over from Mr. Cameron. |
| Mr. Gove’s bid for power ultimately flopped, and Ms. May learned on Monday that she would become prime minister, after Andrea Leadsom dropped out of the race to lead the governing Conservative Party, and therefore the government. | Mr. Gove’s bid for power ultimately flopped, and Ms. May learned on Monday that she would become prime minister, after Andrea Leadsom dropped out of the race to lead the governing Conservative Party, and therefore the government. |
| Among the others affected on Thursday was the education secretary, Nicky Morgan, who had supported Mr. Gove in his campaign to take over the party leadership. She was replaced by Justine Greening, who was previously the secretary state for international development. | Among the others affected on Thursday was the education secretary, Nicky Morgan, who had supported Mr. Gove in his campaign to take over the party leadership. She was replaced by Justine Greening, who was previously the secretary state for international development. |
| Ms. May also removed John Whittingdale, the culture secretary, who had argued for changes to the BBC, contending that it could be smaller, less costly and less competitive with British newspapers and private television channels. | Ms. May also removed John Whittingdale, the culture secretary, who had argued for changes to the BBC, contending that it could be smaller, less costly and less competitive with British newspapers and private television channels. |
| In addition to appointing Mr. Johnson foreign secretary, Ms. May gave two other jobs on Wednesday to senior supporters of the “Leave” campaign: David Davis, a former Europe minister who will be negotiating the country’s withdrawal from the European Union, and Liam Fox, a former defense secretary who will be in charge of international trade. | |
| In doing so, Ms. May appears to have calculated that she had promoted enough senior supporters of a withdrawal to dispense with Mr. Gove, whose victory in the referendum now appears to have been a Pyrrhic one. | In doing so, Ms. May appears to have calculated that she had promoted enough senior supporters of a withdrawal to dispense with Mr. Gove, whose victory in the referendum now appears to have been a Pyrrhic one. |
| The new cabinet was greeted with apprehension in Brussels, where representatives of the bloc will be negotiating Britain’s departure. | The new cabinet was greeted with apprehension in Brussels, where representatives of the bloc will be negotiating Britain’s departure. |
| Martin Schulz, the president of the European Parliament, sent a statement on Thursday to a German newspaper, Süddeutsche Zeitung, appearing to criticize the membership of the new government in London. | Martin Schulz, the president of the European Parliament, sent a statement on Thursday to a German newspaper, Süddeutsche Zeitung, appearing to criticize the membership of the new government in London. |
| “We will work constructively with the newly elected British government in these difficult times, as we have in the past,” Mr. Schulz said in the statement, made available in English to The New York Times later on Thursday. | “We will work constructively with the newly elected British government in these difficult times, as we have in the past,” Mr. Schulz said in the statement, made available in English to The New York Times later on Thursday. |
| “However, the composition of the new cabinet shows that the focus is less on the future of the country but more about satisfying the internal cohesion of the Tory party.” | |
| Mr. Schulz expressed concern about the “dangerously vicious cycle” in British politics that has an effect beyond the country’s borders. “We are in an uncertain and difficult situation in Europe,” he said, “which is why all those involved have to act very responsibly.” | Mr. Schulz expressed concern about the “dangerously vicious cycle” in British politics that has an effect beyond the country’s borders. “We are in an uncertain and difficult situation in Europe,” he said, “which is why all those involved have to act very responsibly.” |