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As it happenedended

Boris Johnson news - live: Williamson, Raab and Patel return to government as new PM continues biggest cabinet reshuffle in modern history

Follow all the latest updates from Westminster

Lizzy Buchan
Political Correspondent
,Ashley Cowburn
Wednesday 24 July 2019 16:13 EDT
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'Never mind the backstop, the buck stops here' Boris Johnson promises to 'serve the people' in first speech as prime minister

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Boris Johnson has carried out the most brutal cabinet reshuffle in modern history as he sacked more than half of Theresa May's top team within hours of taking charge.

Allies of Ms May were unceremoniously cleared out, with rival Jeremy Hunt was among the senior figures to leave the government in favour of Brexiteers.

Sajid Javid was appointed as chancellor, with Brexiteers Priti Patel and Dominic Raab returning to the cabinet as home secretary and foreign secretary.

Please allow a moment for the live blog to load

Long-time Boris backer - and Brexiteer - Liz Truss gets a promotion to be International Trade Secretary.

Formerly chief secretary to the Treasury, Truss was keen to be the first female chancellor. However trade could be a good fit for her - as it's a Brexit-y department.

Lizzy Buchan24 July 2019 19:29

Plenty of cabinet posts still to fill but Boris Johnson seems to whipping through them.

We understand that several senior Tories are inside No 10 at the moment, including Matt Hancock, Andrea Leadsom and Theresa Villiers.

Villiers was Northern Ireland secretary for several years under David Cameron - and could easily return to that role. Matt Hancock might stay at the Department for Health, while Leadsom could be a good fit at Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.

Lizzy Buchan24 July 2019 19:50

Matt Hancock will stay on as health secretary. He will be disappointed not to score a promotion after enthusiastically throwing his weight behind Boris Johnson.

Lizzy Buchan24 July 2019 19:57

Lizzy Buchan24 July 2019 20:00

It's time for a recap of tonight's political upheaval.

Prime minister - Boris Johnson

Chancellor - Sajid Javid

Home Secretary - Priti Patel

Foreign secretary - Dominic Raab (also de-facto deputy PM)

Brexit secretary - Steve Barclay

Defence secretary - Ben Wallace

Chancellor to the Duchy of Lancaster - Michael Gove

Health secretary - Matt Hancock

International trade secretary - Liz Truss

Environment secretary - Theresa Villiers

Education secretary - Gavin Williamson

Culture secretary - Nicky Morgan

Business secretary - Andrea Leadsom

Communities secretary - Robert Jenrick

Work and pensions secretary - Amber Rudd

Justice Secretary - Robert Buckland

International development secretary - Alok Sharma

Transport secretary - Grant Shapps

Welsh secretary - Alun Cairns

Scottish secretary - Alister Jack

Northern Ireland secretary - Julian Smith

Chief whip - Mark Spencer

Lizzy Buchan24 July 2019 20:11

Theresa Villiers has been appointed as environment secretary, to replace Michael Gove. The appointment marks a return to the cabinet for the former Northern Ireland secretary, who is a staunch Brexiteer.

Lizzy Buchan24 July 2019 20:12

Newly appointed defence secretary Ben Wallace said: "As a former officer with the Scots Guards, it is an honour to take up this role at the Ministry of Defence.

"I know first-hand the dedication and hard work of our armed forces, and I will be committed to ensuring their interests come first.

"I look forward to getting started and meeting colleagues from across the department and our military."

Lizzy Buchan24 July 2019 20:17

Lizzy Buchan24 July 2019 20:21

Gavin Williamson has become the education secretary - less than three months after he was sacked as defence secretary by Theresa May over leaks from the National Security Council.

He acted as an organiser for Boris Johnson's leadership campaign, using his extensive experience as chief whip.

He clearly wanted his old job back but it would have been tricky following the fury at leaks from the top-secret meetings - something he denied.

Lizzy Buchan24 July 2019 20:27

Former education secretary Nicky Morgan is back in government - as culture secretary.

Morgan was on the pro-EU side but she threw herself into trying to find a compromise to solve the impasse over the Irish border issue. This will undoubtedly have counted in her favour tonight.

Lizzy Buchan24 July 2019 20:28

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