UK Cabinet reshuffled by new PM Rishi Sunak
By Kealan Finnegan
After Rishi Sunak formally took up the role of UK Prime Minister on Tuesday 25th October, the new Prime Minister has set out his updated cabinet team. PM Sunak has retained several ministers from the previous Liz Truss government, including in prominent positions of Chancellor of the Exchequer, Foreign Secretary and Home Secretary, while also bringing in experienced members such as Dominic Raab, Steve Barclay and Michael Gove. Here’s a quick breakdown:
Rishi Sunak: Prime Minister
Rishi Sunak won the leadership contest that followed the resignation of Liz Truss, receiving nominations from more than half of his party’s MPs and the only one to reach the 100 MP backing required. Mr Sunak most recently served as Chancellor of the Exchequer in Boris Johnson’s Government throughout the pandemic. He became an MP in 2015 for the North Yorkshire constituency of Richmond. He is the UK’s first British Asian prime minister and youngest for more than one hundred years.
Kemi Badenoch remains as Secretary of State for International Trade
Kemi Badenoch was appointed Trade Secretary by Liz Truss and retains her position under Mr Sunak. The former minister in the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and equalities minister, became MP for Saffron Walden in Essex in 2017, and lists her interests as including engineering and technology, social mobility and integration.
James Cleverly remains as Foreign Secretary
Mr Cleverly most recently served as Secretary of State for Education and was previously a Minister at the Foreign Office so knows the department well. Cleverly was in the Territorial Army and went to Sandhurst.
Jeremy Hunt remains as Chancellor of the Exchequer
Jeremy Hunt will remain in his post as Chancellor, after having been in the role for just over a week. He was first elected to parliament in 2005 and first joined the cabinet under PM David Cameron as Secretary of State for culture, Olympics, media and sport in the run-up to the 2012 London Olympics. He went on to become health secretary and later became foreign secretary in 2018.
Suella Braverman remains as Home Secretary
Suella Braverman has returned as Home Secretary less than a week after she resigned from the role over a data breach. Suella, who is of Indian heritage, replaced Priti Patel when Liz Truss took over as PM. She is a barrister who was previously the attorney general.
Grant Shapps is Business Secretary
Grant Shapps has been appointed Business Secretary by Rishi Sunak. Mr Shapps was very recently appointed Home Secretary after the resignation of Suella Braverman and previously served as Transport Secretary.
Therese Coffey is Environment Secretary
Thérèse Coffey has been appointed as Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. Ms Coffey moves into the role from her role as Health Secretary and Deputy Prime Minister under Liz Truss. She was elected as MP for Suffolk Coastal in 2010 and has served in a number of roles including work and pensions secretary, environment minister, Commons deputy leader and assistant whip.
Ben Wallace remains as Defence Secretary
Ben Wallace continues in his post as Defence Secretary, a post he has held since July 2019, where he’s been leading the response to the war in Ukraine. He is one of the few cabinet secretaries to keep their job during the Johnson and Truss premierships.
Michelle Donelan is Culture Secretary
Gillian Keegan is Education Secretary
Steve Barclay is Health Secretary
Dominic Raab is Deputy Prime Minister
See the full UK Cabinet here.
