Braverman gets top role in new cabinet
By Connor Steel
SUELLA BRAVERMAN has been awarded a top role in Liz Truss’s new Government cabinet following a busy evening of appointments and sackings of key frontbenchers; the newly confirmed Prime Minister forming her team to undertake essential jobs just hours after replacing Boris Johnson in Number Ten earlier on Tuesday.
The Fareham MP will move from Attorney General and take over the role of Home Secretary with immediate effect; replacing the outgoing Priti Patel who resigned on Monday. She is due to take on responsibilities for a variety of measures to keep communities safe and secure; whilst also protecting national security / borders.
Showing support to Truss after being knocked out of the leadership contest herself in July, Braverman hasn’t made any statements or reacted to her new title at the time of publishing (10:30pm on Tuesday). However a replacement has been confirmed as Michael Ellis, the only one of Rishi Sunak’s top supporters in cabinet.
Braverman is one of many previous cabinet members to sidestep or stay in a top role, with Truss removing a huge number of ‘Sunak-backers’ before starting her Cabinet announcements. This list features profile names such as Grant Shapps (Transport Secretary), Dominic Rabb (Justice Secretary & Deputy PM), Steve Barclay (Health Secretary) amongst many others; not including those who have resigned since yesterday afternoon.
The first announcement was made after 7pm as Therese Coffey was appointed as the Health Secretary and Deputy Prime Minister, leaving her role under Boris Johnson as Work & Pension Secretary. The vacancy has been picked up by Norwich North MP Chloe Smith with benefits likely to be a huge factor through this winter.
Perhaps more crucial was the appointment of Kwasi Kwarteng, who is now Chancellor of the Exchequer and will be in charge of nation’s finances in the ongoing cost of living crisis from Number 11. He is set to give his first major speech with the Government expected to announce a package to cap most typical energy bills at around £2,500, with full details expected on Thursday according to media sources such as BBC / Sky News.
James Cleverley has been promoted from an office minister to Foreign Secretary, replacing her leader Truss who never actually resigned from her role before her successful leadership bid. In another promotion Wendy Morton was named as Chief Whip and is the first Conservative female to take on this role attending cabinet.
Brandon Lewis, previously Northern Ireland Secretary, has been confirmed as Justice Secretary and Lord Chancellor; whilst Chris Heaton-Harris will take up the role dealing with Belfast affairs. Ben Wallace has been reappointed as Defence Secretary with the PM wanting a consistent figure, given global developments.
Penny Mordaunt, who finished third in the leadership contest, is the latest Leader of the House of Commons and will be in charge of Government legislative diaries including debates. She replaces former Leader Jacob Rees-Mogg, who has become the Business Secretary in one of the most surprising moves of Tuesday night.
The new Prime Minister has also retained Nadhim Zahawi within her cabinet by giving the former Chancellor and Education Secretary under Mr Johnson. Zahawi will become a Minister for Intergovernmental Relations, Equalities Minister and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, also responsible for running the Cabinet Office.
In other appointments Lord True has been appointed as leader of the House of Lords, Jake Berry is the new Conservative Party Chairman, Alok Sharma will remain COP26 President until this job finishes in November. Simon Clark is the Levelling Up Secretary and Kemi Badenock will be the new International Trade Secretary. Alistair Jack is remaining as Scottish Secretary and Robert Buckland will stay as the Secretary for Wales.
Kit Malthouse has been confirmed as the new Education Secretary, Ranil Jayawardena is now Environment Secretary, Anne-Marie Trevelyan takes over as Transport Secretary; Chris Philp will be the Chief Secretary to the Treasur, and Michelle Donelan is becoming the new Culture Secretary; all of these being announced in a rapid succession of bulletins confirmed by 10 Downing Street between 9pm and 10.45pm tonight.
Junior ministers and secretaries will likely be announced on Wednesday, with the weekly session of Prime Minister’s Questions also taking centre stage. Readers are encouraged to read more information and keep updated with latest developments through mainstream media or via the live Downing Street Twitter page.
PICTURED BY ALAMY: Suella Braverman has become new Home Secretary as Liz Truss announces her first cabinet, coming just hours after being formally handed the Prime Ministerial role from Boris Johnson.
