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Boris Johnson's new-look cabinet to meet for first time

25 Jul 2019

Boris Johnson's new cabinet will meet for the first time on Thursday morning, before the new prime minister addresses the House of Commons.

On Wednesday, Mr Johnson gave key roles to leading Brexiteers. Dominic Raab and Priti Patel returned to government as foreign secretary and home secretary respectively. And Sajid Javid became chancellor - as more than half of Theresa May's old cabinet, including leadership rival Jeremy Hunt, quit or were sacked. Other key appointments included:
  • Stephen Barclay: Brexit secretary (retains post)
  • Michael Gove: Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, and no-deal Brexit planning
  • Ben Wallace: Defence secretary
  • Liz Truss: International trade secretary
  • Matt Hancock: Health secretary (retains post)
  • Gavin Williamson: Education secretary
  • Nicky Morgan: Culture secretary
  • Andrea Leadsom: Business secretary
  • Amber Rudd: Work and pensions secretary (retains post)
  • Jacob Rees-Mogg: Leader of the Commons
  • See the full cabinet here
Following his appointment, Rees-Mogg, who led the pro-Brexit Tory European Research Group (ERG), denied the new cabinet had seen a "purge of Remainers". He told ITV the new cabinet was made up of "simply people who are prepared to leave on 31 October" and there was a "need for a different team". Javid and Truss - who backed Remain in the 2016 referendum - had also been given key roles, he added. The UK was originally supposed to leave the EU on 29 March but the deadline was moved to 31 October, after MPs rejected Mrs May's withdrawal deal three times. Mr Johnson's new cabinet saw 17 of May's former senior ministers being axed or stepping down. Former Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said he had been offered an alternative role but had turned it down, while leading Brexiteers Penny Mordaunt and Liam Fox were also replaced as defence secretary and international trade secretary respectively. Both supported Hunt in the Tory leadership contest. BBC


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