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Tory chairman Brandon Lewis defends reshuffle Theresa May's Cabinet meets as reshuffle continues
(35 minutes later)
The new Conservative Party chairman has defended Theresa May's reshuffle, saying it would be like a "breath of fresh air" by the time it is finished. Theresa May's cabinet is meeting for the first time after a reshuffle that triggered a ministerial resignation and was dismissed by Labour as a "lacklustre PR exercise".
Brandon Lewis said it was a shame that Justine Greening had quit as education secretary, having refused a move to the work and pensions department. Justine Greening quit after refusing to move departments, and Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt persuaded the PM to keep him in post with a beefed-up role.
Most big names stayed in post and more junior appointments are expected later. The most high-profile cabinet ministers all kept their jobs.
The reshuffle was called "embarrassing" and "shambolic" by some Tory MPs, the BBC's Laura Kuenssberg said. More junior ministerial changes are being made on Tuesday.
Labour called it a "pointless and lacklustre PR exercise". New Tory chairman Brandon Lewis said the reshuffle would be like a "breath of fresh air" by the time it is finished.
As well as Ms Greening's refusal to move, Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt is understood to have persuaded Mrs May to keep him in post with an expanded brief. But it was being called "embarrassing" and "shambolic" by some Tory MPs, the BBC's political editor Laura Kuenssberg said.
In other appointments:In other appointments:
Two departments were renamed - housing was added to the title of the communities department while the title of Mr Hunt's health brief now includes social care.Two departments were renamed - housing was added to the title of the communities department while the title of Mr Hunt's health brief now includes social care.
Mr Lewis replaces Sir Patrick McLoughlin as Conservative Party chairman, with James Cleverly becoming his deputy.Mr Lewis replaces Sir Patrick McLoughlin as Conservative Party chairman, with James Cleverly becoming his deputy.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Mr Lewis said "really good people move on" in any reshuffle. He would not get into "gossip" about how it had unfolded, but said it had heralded a "real influx of new talent".Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Mr Lewis said "really good people move on" in any reshuffle. He would not get into "gossip" about how it had unfolded, but said it had heralded a "real influx of new talent".
"It's not finished yet," he said, predicting a "breath of fresh air coming in" with the other ministerial announcements that are expected during the day."It's not finished yet," he said, predicting a "breath of fresh air coming in" with the other ministerial announcements that are expected during the day.
The cabinet is meeting for the first time since the reshuffle, with more ministerial changes to be announced during the day. No formal announcements have been made so far, but government sources have told the BBC that International Trade Minister Mark Garnier is leaving government, and that his departure is not related to recent allegations of inappropriate behaviour.
Government sources have told the BBC that International Trade Minister Mark Garnier is leaving government, and that his departure is not related to recent allegations of inappropriate behaviour.
Last month Mr Garnier was cleared of breaking the ministerial code after a Cabinet Office investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct.Last month Mr Garnier was cleared of breaking the ministerial code after a Cabinet Office investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct.
Other ministers believed to be leaving government are John Hayes (transport), Philip Dunne (health) and Robert Goodwill (education).Other ministers believed to be leaving government are John Hayes (transport), Philip Dunne (health) and Robert Goodwill (education).
In her resignation statement, Ms Greening said: "Social mobility matters to me and our country more than a ministerial career."In her resignation statement, Ms Greening said: "Social mobility matters to me and our country more than a ministerial career."
Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson said she was sorry to see Ms Greening leave:Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson said she was sorry to see Ms Greening leave:
And veteran Conservative MP Sir Nicholas Soames did not seem impressed at the reshuffle:And veteran Conservative MP Sir Nicholas Soames did not seem impressed at the reshuffle:
Grant Shapps, Conservative party chairman between 2012 and 2015, said the reshuffle had not been "brilliantly executed" but praised plans for housing and health.Grant Shapps, Conservative party chairman between 2012 and 2015, said the reshuffle had not been "brilliantly executed" but praised plans for housing and health.
"There was some good stuff, strangely buried in a reshuffle that didn't quite go to plan," he told BBC Two's Newsnight."There was some good stuff, strangely buried in a reshuffle that didn't quite go to plan," he told BBC Two's Newsnight.
He said the addition of housing to the title of the communities department would give "a lot more focus" to government plans to build more homes - adding that plans to bring health and social care together were "quite smart".He said the addition of housing to the title of the communities department would give "a lot more focus" to government plans to build more homes - adding that plans to bring health and social care together were "quite smart".
Was May foiled in reshuffle aims?Was May foiled in reshuffle aims?
Laura Kuenssberg, BBC political editorLaura Kuenssberg, BBC political editor
Theresa May had mulled over her reshuffle for months.Theresa May had mulled over her reshuffle for months.
On Monday she felt daring enough to do it, after ending the tumult of 2017 with the government in better shape than for quite some time, despite the embarrassing departures of some of her colleagues.On Monday she felt daring enough to do it, after ending the tumult of 2017 with the government in better shape than for quite some time, despite the embarrassing departures of some of her colleagues.
The task was not to make radical changes, the most senior jobs were never in question, but the plan was to get the right reformers into the right jobs in her view, and to plan for the future.The task was not to make radical changes, the most senior jobs were never in question, but the plan was to get the right reformers into the right jobs in her view, and to plan for the future.
The question of the long term will still be dealt with on Tuesday, when junior ministers are expected to be appointed, with far greater numbers of women and ethnic minority MPs, part of the Tories' effort to look more like the country they govern.The question of the long term will still be dealt with on Tuesday, when junior ministers are expected to be appointed, with far greater numbers of women and ethnic minority MPs, part of the Tories' effort to look more like the country they govern.
Read the rest of Laura's blogRead the rest of Laura's blog
But Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said: "The government's big plan for the new year is to dodge the real issues and reshuffle the pack in a pointless and lacklustre PR exercise.But Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said: "The government's big plan for the new year is to dodge the real issues and reshuffle the pack in a pointless and lacklustre PR exercise.
"It's simply not good enough. You can't make up for nearly eight years of failure by changing the name of a department.""It's simply not good enough. You can't make up for nearly eight years of failure by changing the name of a department."