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Reshuffle in full: Who is out and who has been promoted?

The PM plans to have a ‘strong and united’ cabinet

Lamiat Sabin,Joe Middleton,Eleanor Sly
Thursday 16 September 2021 14:45 BST
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Boris Johnson cabinet reshuffle: How does his new team look?

Boris Johnson has started his long-awaited Cabinet reshuffle.

The Prime Minister plans to put in place a “strong and united” Cabinet following the turbulence caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

A Downing Street source said: “The PM will be appointing ministers this afternoon with a focus on uniting and levelling up the whole country.”

Removed

Gavin Williamson has been sacked as Education Secretary, a position he has held since 2019.

Mr Williamson has faced regular criticism of his handling of how children would receive an education through the pandemic, which saw schools closed and the 2020 fiasco in the awarding of A-level and GCSE grades.

Robert Buckland has lost his position as Justice Secretary and Lord Chancellor, positions he has held for seven years.

After being sacked, he said it is “on to the next adventure”.

Robert Jenrick has been sacked as Housing Secretary. Mr Jenrick said it had been a “huge privilege” to serve in the government, saying he will “continue to support the Prime Minister and the Government in every way I can”.

His sacking followed his department’s unlawful approval of Tory donor Richard Desmond’s housing development in east London, as well as the ongoing cladding scandal, Grenfell inquiry, and government’s attempts to have 300,000 new homes built a year.

Amanda Milling loses her position as Conservative Party chair. The sacking comes weeks ahead of the Tory conference in October.

Nick Gibb has been sacked as Schools Minister, a position he has held for ten years since he was first appointed by David Cameron.

John Whittingdale has been removed as Media Minister and is returning to the backbenches. He had held the position since February 2020.

Reshuffled

Dominic Raab has become Deputy Prime Minister, Lord Chancellor and Justice Secretary after being moved from Foreign Secretary.

The demotion is believed to be the result of a lengthy meeting between Mr Raab and Mr Johnson over his handling of the evacuation of British citizens and Afghan allies from Afghanistan last month.

Mr Raab has been succeeded by Liz Truss, who has been promoted from International Trade Secretary to Foreign Secretary.

Nadhim Zahawi has become Education Secretary after previously being the Vaccines Minister. Mr Zahawi is likely being rewarded with a promotion after the UK’s successful Covid vaccine rollout.

Sacked Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick has been replaced by Michael Gove.

Mr Gove - who was previously the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster - will also be responsible for the Government’s levelling-up agenda and have responsibilities for strengthening the Union.

Oliver Dowden has been demoted to Minister without Portfolio and replaced as Culture Secretary by Nadine Dorries.

Ms Dorries, who previously appeared on I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here, is an outspoken Brexiteer, BBC critic and ardent supporter of the prime minister.

Anne-Marie Trevelyan has been promoted to replace Ms Truss as International Trade Secretary and Steve Barclay has succeeded Mr Gove as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and minister for the Cabinet Office.

Penny Mordaunt has announced that she will leave her role as Paymaster General at the Cabinet Office, moving positions to become minister of state at the Department of International Trade. She will be succeeded by Michael Ellis.

Mr Ellis currently holds the position of Solicitor General at the Attorney General’s Office.

Greg Hands has become Minister of State for the department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, moving from his position as the Minister of State for Trade Policy in the Department for International Trade.

Remains

Priti Patel remains in her position has Home Secretary, Rishi Sunak stays as Chancellor of the Exchequer and Ben Wallace is still Defence Secretary.

Sajid Javid, who only recently replaced Matt Hancock as Health Secretary, is keeping his job. He tweeted that he is “determined to get our country through the pandemic” and “deliver lasting reforms to health and social care.”

Kwasi Kwarteng, who spent around 40 minutes at No10, will stay as Business Secretary.

George Eustice has kept his Environment Secretary job, while Alister Jack and Simon Hart will remain as Scotland Secretary and Wales Secretary respectively.

Kit Malthouse is still a minister in the Home Office and Ministry of Justice and will attend Cabinet.

Baroness Evans said she is “very pleased to be back” as she remains Lord Privy Seal and Leader of the House of Lords.

Lord Frost stays in post as Brexit minister in the Cabinet Office.

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