New prime minister packs team with Brexiters and rightwingers, including Jacob Rees-Mogg as leader of the Commons
Just when you thought the last appointment had been made, Downing Street have just announced that Kwasi Kwarteng has been appointed a minister at the department for business, energy and industrial strategy and will also attend cabinet.
Boris Johnson’s new-look cabinet includes Sajid Javid as chancellor and Priti Patel as home secretary among an array of prominent Brexiteers to receive top jobs.
Dominic Raab is foreign secretary and first secretary of state, while arch-Brexiter Jacob Rees-Mogg was made leader of the Commons.
Michael Gove is moved to become the chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and replaced as environment secretary by fellow Brexiter Theresa Villiers.
Johnson’s brother Jo is appointed minister of state at the department for business, energy and industrial strategy and the department for education.
Gavin Williamson becomes education secretary, while Andrea Leadsom becomes business secretary, Ben Wallace is defence secretary, Liz Truss is named international trade secretary to the Treasury, and Robert Jenrick is secretary of state for housing, communities and local government.
Grant Shapps becomes transport secretary and Stephen Barclay, Matt Hancock and Amber Rudd keep their jobs as Brexit secretary, health secretary and work and pensions secretary respectively.
Former chief whip Julian Smith has been appointed Northern Ireland secretary, Alister Jack becomes Scottish secretary, and Alun Cairns will remain Welsh secretary.
James Cleverly becomes the Conservative party chair, while Rishi Sunak enters the cabinet as Treasury chief secretary.
Robert Buckland QC is appointed lord chancellor and justice secretary and Nicky Morgan becomes secretary of state for digital, culture, media and sport.
Along with the resignations, more than half of Theresa May’s cabinet are no longer in their roles.
From The Guardian’s Heather Stewart:
Raab vs Thornberry will be a really interesting clash in the weeks and months ahead; Javid vs McDonnell should be pretty lively too. https://t.co/w8S819KYVO
— Heather Stewart (@GuardianHeather) July 24, 2019
From BBC’s Newsnight:
“I’m not wild about the cabinet that’s been appointed,“ ex-minister Steve Brine tells @maitlis.
— BBC Newsnight (@BBCNewsnight) July 24, 2019
“The Penny Mordaunt issue baffles me… The back bench is the new front bench”#newsnight | @BrineMP pic.twitter.com/0LmqAJdbne
In perhaps the most dramatic appointment of the evening, arch Brexiter Jacob Rees-Mogg, chairman of the European Research Group, was made leader of the Commons.
Unusually, Downing Street said he would not be a full member of the cabinet, although he will attend cabinet meetings.
From BBC’s Newsnight:
“It feels very much like a cabinet that has been pulled together - a vote leave cabinet - a no-deal cabinet - gearing up for a general election”
— BBC Newsnight (@BBCNewsnight) July 24, 2019
Sonia Sodha of the Observer says Boris Johnson has “given up on the idea of building unity within his party"@soniasodha | #newsnight pic.twitter.com/1XOdCjASqa
Mark Francois, deputy chair of the European Research Group, says Boris Johnson should get straight to the point with the EU and set up talks on free trade, something the EU has repeatedly said it would not do without a withdrawal agreement and a deal on the Irish border, EU citizens and the divorce bill.
Francois told ITV’s Peston programme: “The withdrawal agreement is dead. We’re not to try and revive that … pointless on either side to do that. What makes sense it to cut to the chase and go straight to the trade deal a la super-Canada.”
From BBC’s Newsnight:
New transport minister Grant Shapps had a bit of trouble on his way into Downing Street to meet the new prime minister...#newsnight | @nicholaswatt | @maitlis pic.twitter.com/7UkRKPMU3b
— BBC Newsnight (@BBCNewsnight) July 24, 2019
Former culture minister Ed Vaizey says the country should brace itself for no deal after today’s brutal cabinet reshuffle.
“I think it’s quite clear that Boris will go for no deal. He’s got some formidable people with him in No 10 to achieve that objective,” he told ITV’s Peston programme.
“The trouble for people like me face [who are opposed to no deal] is if it goes through and it is bad news, we will still get the blame. The Brexiters hold all the cards and they are very adept at blaming the remainers.”
From BBC’s Newsnight:
“We’ve tabled an early day motion tonight (against the PM)…
— BBC Newsnight (@BBCNewsnight) July 24, 2019
“I have absolutely no confidence in Boris Johnson,” says Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson who adds that it is Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn who has to call for a vote of no confidence @joswinson | #newsnight | @maitlis pic.twitter.com/qSPhxQvq2R
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