11.05.15
The Cabinet – Gove at justice, Javid to BIS, Boris minister without portfolio
Michael Gove is set to return to prominence as justice secretary in the first major change announced for David Cameron’s first all-Conservative cabinet.
Gove, who served as education secretary until July 2014, when he was moved to a less high-profile role as chief whip, will also serve as Lord Chancellor.
He is a former journalist and once wrote an article for the Times saying that Britain was wrong to abolish hanging. He will now take charge of Conservative plans to scrap the Human Rights Act and replace it with a ‘British Bill of Rights’.
The former justice secretary, Chris Grayling, has been moved to leader of the House of Commons, with the additional title of lord president of the council. In taking on William Hague’s former duties, he will be responsible for the government's constitutional reforms including the further devolution of powers to Scotland.
Gove’s replacement in the Department for Education, Nicky Morgan, also returns to her role.
Mark Harper, previously minister for disabled people, takes on the role of chief whip.
Sajid Javid has taken the first major cabinet post previously held by a Liberal Democrat. He takes over from Vince Cable as business secretary, moving over from his previous role in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
Javid is a former banker who was managing director of Deutsche Bank and reportedly walked away from a £3m-a-year salary to become a politician, being elected to Parliament in 2010.
John Whittingdale, the former chair of the Commons culture committee, takes over from Javid as culture secretary.
Iain Duncan Smith will stay on as work and pensions secretary, continuing his work on benefit reform, introducing universal credit and additionally responsible for the £12bn of welfare cuts the Tories promised in their manifesto.
Baroness Stowell will also be made a full member of the cabinet, as leader of the lords and lord privy seal.
Boris Johnson is set to attend Cameron’s political Cabinet but will not hold a position in the government. Instead he will devote his attention to his final year as mayor of London.
Robert Halfon is to move on from his role as the chancellor’s parliamentary private secretary to become deputy chairman of the Conservative Party.
It is understood that Cameron wants to give more women a prominent role in government, with as many as 12 to be given senior roles.
Amber Rudd has been promoted to energy secretary, where she previously served as minister for climate change under former Lib Dem MP Ed Davey.
Priti Patel, the MP for Witham, has been announced as employment minister and will also attend Cabinet. Anna Soubry and Andrea Leadsom are also expected to be given Cabinet posts.
Liz Truss, who served as environment secretary in the Coalition, is also expected to be given a greater role.
Cameron is to spend the rest of the morning addressing the 1922 Committee and will continue announcing government appointments this afternoon.
The first Cabinet announcements made on Friday were all reappointments. George Osborne is back as chancellor, with the added title of first secretary of state, making him the most senior minister in cabinet.
Cameron has also brought back Theresa May as home secretary, Philip Hammond as foreign secretary and Michael Fallon as defence secretary.
(Image source: Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire)
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