Britain's new Prime Minister Boris Johnson has appointed several key supporters to top jobs as he makes plans to take the UK out of the EU by October 31. Several ministers stood down before they could be pushed.
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The UK's new prime minister made sweeping changes at the top of government on Wednesday, filling key posts with supporters who campaigned for him to take over the top role.
Boris Johnson's new Cabinet has a strongly pro-Brexit flavor, with the major cabinet posts going to those who have backed his plan to take Britain out of the European Union by October 31 with or without a withdrawal deal.
Former Brexit chief negotiator Dominic Raab, who resigned from Theresa May's government in opposition to the divorce agreement struck with Brussels, was given the role of foreign secretary.
Raab takes over from Jeremy Hunt, who was Johnson's opponent in the final round of the race to lead Britain's ruling Conservative Party.
Raab, who was initially among the contenders to replace Theresa May, also takes on the mantle of first secretary of state, meaning he will deputize for Johnson when the prime minister is absent.
Returning at the top
Priti Patel, an arch-Brexiter and former international development minister, returns to government as home secretary — the title given to the UK's interior minister. Patel, who was fired by May for having secret meetings with the Israeli government, was a staunch opponent of the former prime minister's withdrawal deal.
Patel takes over the role from Sajid Javid, who moves into another of the UK's Great Offices of State. Javid, a former investment banker, takes on the mantle of chancellor of the Exchequer.
That role, the UK's finance minister, was vacated by Philip Hammond who said he would not countenance working with Johnson.
May's Justice Secretary David Gauke, International Development Secretary Rory Stewart and May's de-facto deputy, David Lidington, also resigned after Johnson took charge. Gauke and Stewart both said they would rather leave than sanction a no-deal scenario, while Lidington said it was "the right time to go."
Prominent members of the "Back Boris" leadership campaign Liz Truss and Gavin Williamson both returned to government, with the portfolios for trade and education respectively.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock and Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd were among the few ministers who backed Remain — to stay in the EU — in the 2016 referendum who have kept their jobs.
The Vote Leave alumni
Two of the most notable jobs on the sidelines went to key allies of Johnson as members of the Vote Leave campaign in the 2016 referendum.
Environment Secretary Michael Gove was moved to the Cabinet Office, where he will be close to negotiations in preparation for a no-deal Brexit. The fact that Gove retains a place in cabinet was seen as surprising by some, given that he was responsible for derailing Johnson’s post-referendum leadership bid in 2016, before standing for the leadership himself.
Boris Johnson's new Cabinet
The UK's new prime minister, Boris Johnson, has carried out a major overhaul at the top of government. The new premier installed some close allies in the top posts, as he prepares to take Britain out of the EU.
Image: picture-alliance/Newscom
Sajid Javid — Chancellor of the Exchequer
The son of a Pakistani immigrant bus driver, Javid moves from the role of home secretary to another of the UK's Great Offices of State — Chancellor of the Exchequer. He actually backed Remain in the 2016 referendum. As the UK’s finance minister, the Deutsche Bank veteran replaces Philip Hammond, who quit hours ahead of Johnson's appointment.
Image: Reuters/T. Melville
Dominic Raab — Foreign Secretary
Raab, who resigned from Theresa May's government in opposition to the divorce agreement struck with Brussels while he was Brexit secretary, was named Britain's foreign secretary — one of the most senior roles in government. Raab also takes on the mantle of first secretary of state, meaning he will deputize for Johnson when the prime minister is absent.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/M. Dunham
Priti Patel — Home Secretary
Patel, an arch-Brexiter and former minister, returns to government as home secretary — the title given to the UK's interior minister. She's seen as a hardliner within the party on most matters, not least Europe. Patel, who was fired by May for having secret meetings with the Israeli government, was a staunch opponent of the former prime minister's withdrawal deal.
Image: picture alliance/AP Photo/A. Grant
Matt Hancock – Health Secretary
Hancock was among the initial contenders to replace Theresa May, but he didn’t last long in the race. Although he campaigned for Remain during the referendum, Hancock has said he now believes Britain should leave the EU. He's one of a few former Remainers who gets to stay.
Image: Imago/P. Maclaine
Michael Gove – Cabinet Secretary
The fact that Johnson's former Vote Leave colleague Gove, who moves from the environment brief, finds a place in Cabinet could be seen as a surprise. He was responsible for derailing Johnson's post-referendum leadership bid in 2016, before standing for the leadership himself. The Cabinet Office role means he will be close to Brexit negotiations, and preparations for a no-deal Brexit.
Image: Getty Images/C. J. Ratcliff
Gavin Williamson – Education Secretary
A former chief whip, Williamson was sacked as defense minister in a stinging letter by Theresa May earlier this year. He allegedly leaked details of a government deal involving Chinese company Huawei, but strongly denied this. He now takes over the education portfolio.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/Photo/F. Seco
Jacob Rees-Mogg – Leader of the House of Commons
Despite it being his first Cabinet post, Rees-Mogg is one of the most recognizable faces of the pro-Brexit camp in Parliament. As chair of the European Research Group, he actively pressured Theresa May's government to implement Brexit. MP for a rural English constituency, the son of a media baron, a staunch Catholic, and an old Etonian like Johnson, Rees-Mogg's background is in investment banking.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/D. Mirzeoff
Andrea Leadsom – Business Secretary
A devout Brexiteer, Leadsom was a prominent member of the Leave referendum campaign. She has twice run for Tory leadership and failed — reaching the head-to-head with Theresa May in 2016. An interview gaffe led to her quitting the race before it really began, allowing May to take office unopposed. She was promoted to leader of the House of Commons thereafter, and now takes another step up.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/S. Rousseau
Ben Wallace – Defense Secretary
Wallace, a lesser known Scottish lawmaker, started his political career as a Member of the Scottish Parliament. Beforehand, he served in the British military for eight years, during which he was deployed to Germany and Northern Ireland, among others. In the run-up to Brexit, he campaigned for the Remain camp. Reportedly, he was Johnson's second choice. Jeremy Hunt is said to have refused the job.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/T. Nicholson
Amber Rudd – Work and Pensions Secretary
Rudd is one of few survivors from the ancien regime, staying in the same post as Work and Pensions Secretary. In the run-up to the Brexit referendum, she campaigned for the UK to remain. She previously served as home secretary under Theresa May and was seen as a close ally of the former PM. She famously stood in for May, who declined to take part, at an election debate against Jeremy Corbyn.
Image: picture-alliance/NurPhoto/A. Pezzali
Jo Johnson – Minister for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
Jo Johnson is an anti-Brexit lawmaker and Boris' younger brother. Jo quit his former Cabinet post in protest at the terms of the proposed deal to leave the EU, and has advocated a second referendum on whether to actually leave. As his brother once was, long ago now, he's seen as a left-leaning, europhile member of the Tories.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/S. Rousseau
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Johnson is also due to appoint former Vote Leave strategist Dominic Cummings as one of his senior advisers. Cummings is widely seen as the man who helped deliver the 52-48 percent vote in favor of leaving the EU.
The job announcements followed May's departure from office, which saw her give a speech in Downing Street, and Johnson's appointment by Queen Elizabeth II. On the way to the palace, the incoming prime minister's motorcade was briefly delayed by climate change protesters.
Upon leaving the palace, Johnson gave a speech in which he repeated his promise to deliver Brexit by October 31. The new premier optimistically pledged to get "a new deal, a better deal" with the EU than the one secured by May, which was rejected by the UK parliament on three separate occasions.