This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2019/jul/25/boris-johnson-new-cabinet-prime-minister-chairs-first-cabinet-as-critics-say-party-now-fully-taken-over-by-hard-right-live-news
The article has changed 22 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Boris Johnson chairs first cabinet as critics say party now 'fully taken over by hard right' - live news | Boris Johnson chairs first cabinet as critics say party now 'fully taken over by hard right' - live news |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Here is a Guardian panel with views on the new cabinet, with contributions from Aditya Chakrabortty, Sonia Sodha, Katy Balls, Paul Mason and Martha Gill. | |
| Our writers give their verdict on Boris Johnson’s new cabinet | The panel | |
| During the Tory leadership campaign, Boris Johnson made repeated play of the claim that his team as London mayor was “basically a feminocracy”, saying he would promote women to top jobs. | |
| And while the proportion of women in the four great jobs of state is still the same as at the end of Theresa May’s time in No 10 – 25%, with May as PM replaced by Priti Patel as home secretary – the proportion of women attending cabinet has actually fallen. | |
| May had 29 people in her final cabinet meetings, eight of whom were women, or 27.6%. Under the official list of Johnson’s team sent round by No 10 earlier today (see 9.30am), he also has eight women, but among an expanded group of 33, so 24.2%. | |
| Defenders of Johnson might point out that he has two more full cabinet members than May – seven out of 23 against her final tally of five from 23. | |
| Either way it is, as best, no real progression. | |
| Grant Shapps, the new transport secretary, was on message as he left cabinet. Asked how it went, and what the mood was like, he replied: “Very good, energised.” Energise is, of course, the word Boris Johnson used himself in his victory speech on Tuesday to describe his mission. | |
| According to the Press Association, Boris Johnson told his new cabinet it was “wonderful to see this new team assembled here” which respects the “depth and breadth of talent in our extraordinary party”. He went on: | |
| As you all know we have a momentous task ahead of us, at a pivotal moment in our country’s history. | |
| We are now committed, all of us, to leaving the European Union on October 31 or indeed earlier - no ifs, no buts. | |
| But we are not going to wait until October 31 to get on with a fantastic new agenda for our country, and that means delivering the priorities of the people. | |
| This is from James Cleverly, the new Conservative party chairman. | This is from James Cleverly, the new Conservative party chairman. |
| Just finished my first Cabinet meeting, looking at my colleagues around the cabinet table when this tweet popped back into my memory. Seeing a lot of “unlocked talent” in the room. https://t.co/XVvWIkzupC | Just finished my first Cabinet meeting, looking at my colleagues around the cabinet table when this tweet popped back into my memory. Seeing a lot of “unlocked talent” in the room. https://t.co/XVvWIkzupC |
| There are four BME ministers in the full cabinet (out of 23), and another two in the “attending cabinet” category (out of 10). | |
| From the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg | From the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg |
| Jo Swinson has a put a confidence motion down ... challenge from her to Corbyn on whether he’d back it https://t.co/JjXld1fY9P | Jo Swinson has a put a confidence motion down ... challenge from her to Corbyn on whether he’d back it https://t.co/JjXld1fY9P |
| From Sky’s Sam Coates | From Sky’s Sam Coates |
| Boris Johnson’s PPS will be Alex Burghart - who did the role for Geoffrey Cox - and was in the back of the Cabinet shots. A Leave supporting lawyer.... | Boris Johnson’s PPS will be Alex Burghart - who did the role for Geoffrey Cox - and was in the back of the Cabinet shots. A Leave supporting lawyer.... |
| Sky News has just broadcast some footage from the opening of the cabinet meeting. Boris Johnson could be heard saying “no ifs, but we’re going to ....” The rest was inaudible, but the cabinet seemed to like it, because we then saw them banging the table enthusiastically. | Sky News has just broadcast some footage from the opening of the cabinet meeting. Boris Johnson could be heard saying “no ifs, but we’re going to ....” The rest was inaudible, but the cabinet seemed to like it, because we then saw them banging the table enthusiastically. |
| Here is another picture of the new cabinet. | Here is another picture of the new cabinet. |
| Downing Street has just sent out the full cabinet list. For the record, here it is. | Downing Street has just sent out the full cabinet list. For the record, here it is. |
| The order in which ministers appear is important, because there is a hierarchy in cabinet and ministers are listed in order of seniority. | The order in which ministers appear is important, because there is a hierarchy in cabinet and ministers are listed in order of seniority. |
| It is a good cabinet for Old Etonians. Including those allowed to attend, there are are four of them on the list: Boris Johnson, his brother Jo, Jacob Rees-Mogg and Kwasi Kwarteng. | It is a good cabinet for Old Etonians. Including those allowed to attend, there are are four of them on the list: Boris Johnson, his brother Jo, Jacob Rees-Mogg and Kwasi Kwarteng. |
| The Rt Hon Boris Johnson MP, Prime Minister | The Rt Hon Boris Johnson MP, Prime Minister |
| The Rt Hon Sajid Javid MP, Chancellor of the Exchequer | The Rt Hon Sajid Javid MP, Chancellor of the Exchequer |
| The Rt Hon Dominic Raab MP, Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and First Secretary of State | The Rt Hon Dominic Raab MP, Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and First Secretary of State |
| The Rt Hon Priti Patel MP, Secretary of State for the Home Department | The Rt Hon Priti Patel MP, Secretary of State for the Home Department |
| The Rt Hon Michael Gove MP, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster | The Rt Hon Michael Gove MP, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster |
| Robert Buckland, QC MP, Lord Chancellor, Secretary of State for Justice | Robert Buckland, QC MP, Lord Chancellor, Secretary of State for Justice |
| The Rt Hon Stephen Barclay MP, Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union | The Rt Hon Stephen Barclay MP, Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union |
| The Rt Hon Ben Wallace MP, Secretary of State for Defence | The Rt Hon Ben Wallace MP, Secretary of State for Defence |
| The Rt Hon Matthew Hancock MP, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care | The Rt Hon Matthew Hancock MP, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care |
| The Rt Hon Andrea Leadsom MP, Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy | The Rt Hon Andrea Leadsom MP, Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy |
| The Rt Hon Elizabeth Truss MP, Secretary of State for International Trade and President of the Board of Trade | The Rt Hon Elizabeth Truss MP, Secretary of State for International Trade and President of the Board of Trade |
| The Rt Hon Amber Rudd MP, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, and Minister for Women and Equalities | The Rt Hon Amber Rudd MP, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, and Minister for Women and Equalities |
| The Rt Hon Gavin Williamson CBE MP, Secretary of State for Education | The Rt Hon Gavin Williamson CBE MP, Secretary of State for Education |
| The Rt Hon Theresa Villiers MP, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | The Rt Hon Theresa Villiers MP, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs |
| Robert Jenrick MP, Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government | Robert Jenrick MP, Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government |
| The Rt Hon Grant Shapps MP, Secretary of State for Transport | The Rt Hon Grant Shapps MP, Secretary of State for Transport |
| The Rt Hon Julian Smith MP, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland | The Rt Hon Julian Smith MP, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland |
| The Rt Hon Alister Jack MP, Secretary of State for Scotland | The Rt Hon Alister Jack MP, Secretary of State for Scotland |
| The Rt Hon Alun Cairns MP, Secretary of State for Wales | The Rt Hon Alun Cairns MP, Secretary of State for Wales |
| The Rt Hon Baroness Evans of Bowes Park, Leader of the House of Lords, Lord Privy Seal | The Rt Hon Baroness Evans of Bowes Park, Leader of the House of Lords, Lord Privy Seal |
| The Rt Hon Nicky Morgan MP, Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport | The Rt Hon Nicky Morgan MP, Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport |
| Alok Sharma MP, Secretary of State for International Development | Alok Sharma MP, Secretary of State for International Development |
| James Cleverly MP, Minister without Portfolio and Party Chair | James Cleverly MP, Minister without Portfolio and Party Chair |
| Attending Cabinet | Attending Cabinet |
| Rishi Sunak MP, Chief Secretary to the Treasury | Rishi Sunak MP, Chief Secretary to the Treasury |
| The Hon Jacob Rees-Mogg MP, Leader of the House of Commons and Lord President of the Council | The Hon Jacob Rees-Mogg MP, Leader of the House of Commons and Lord President of the Council |
| Mark Spencer MP, Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury and Chief Whip | Mark Spencer MP, Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury and Chief Whip |
| The Rt Hon Geoffrey Cox QC MP, Attorney General | The Rt Hon Geoffrey Cox QC MP, Attorney General |
| Kwasi Kwarteng MP, Minister of State (for Energy), Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy | Kwasi Kwarteng MP, Minister of State (for Energy), Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy |
| Oliver Dowden CBE MP, Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office | Oliver Dowden CBE MP, Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office |
| Jake Berry MP, Minister of State, Cabinet Office and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government | Jake Berry MP, Minister of State, Cabinet Office and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government |
| The Rt Hon Esther McVey MP, Minister of State (Housing), Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government | The Rt Hon Esther McVey MP, Minister of State (Housing), Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government |
| Jo Johnson MP, Minister of State (Universities), Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy and the Department for Education | Jo Johnson MP, Minister of State (Universities), Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy and the Department for Education |
| The Rt Hon Brandon Lewis MP, Minister of State (for Security), Home Office | The Rt Hon Brandon Lewis MP, Minister of State (for Security), Home Office |
| Boris Johnson is chairing his first cabinet as I write. And later he will address the Commons for the first time as prime minister, in a statement that may reveal more about how he intends to deliver Brexit and how he would like to govern Britain. | Boris Johnson is chairing his first cabinet as I write. And later he will address the Commons for the first time as prime minister, in a statement that may reveal more about how he intends to deliver Brexit and how he would like to govern Britain. |
| But we learnt a huge amount about that yesterday, from the most wide-ranging cabinet reshuffle in modern times. On the plus side, as the former Downing Street adviser from the New Labour era, Theo Bertram, argues on Twitter this morning, you could describe it as remarkably successful. | |
| One of the most effective reshuffles ever? - Quick- Thorough- Razor clear direction- Shows Boris can be serious,- & his ambition is not merely to be PM but actually to deliver BrexitI disagree with the direction but reshuffles are usually butchered, not executed so well. | One of the most effective reshuffles ever? - Quick- Thorough- Razor clear direction- Shows Boris can be serious,- & his ambition is not merely to be PM but actually to deliver BrexitI disagree with the direction but reshuffles are usually butchered, not executed so well. |
| But it’s a reshuffle that does not just involve a wholesale change in personnel; it is one that will fundamentally alter the way people perceive the Conservative party. At one stage during the referendum 2016 campaign, to the surprise of some observers, Vote Leave started acting like a shadow government, making “manifesto” pledges like this one on cutting VAT on fuel. Now that strategy looks more understandable, because the Vote Leave campaign has effectively become the government. | |
| On the Today programme this morning Nick Boles, the former Conservative minister who now sits as an independent, said the reshuffle showed the hard right had taken over his old party. He explained: | On the Today programme this morning Nick Boles, the former Conservative minister who now sits as an independent, said the reshuffle showed the hard right had taken over his old party. He explained: |
| It is very clarifying because what it establishes beyond all doubt is that the Conservative party has now been fully taken over, top to bottom, by the hard right, that they’re basically turning themselves into the Brexit party in order to hold off Nigel Farage. | It is very clarifying because what it establishes beyond all doubt is that the Conservative party has now been fully taken over, top to bottom, by the hard right, that they’re basically turning themselves into the Brexit party in order to hold off Nigel Farage. |
| And those few elements remaining of the one-nation, liberal conservative, Cameron-style Conservatives - they are neutered captives in this cabinet. They’ve had to sign up to the pledge to leave [the EU] at the end of October. | |
| There are other assessments, of course. We will be covering them throughout the course of the day. | There are other assessments, of course. We will be covering them throughout the course of the day. |
| Here is our overnight lead on the reshuffle. | Here is our overnight lead on the reshuffle. |
| Boris Johnson: new PM takes his revenge and sacks over half the cabinet | Boris Johnson: new PM takes his revenge and sacks over half the cabinet |
| Here is our guide to who is in the new cabinet. | Here is our guide to who is in the new cabinet. |
| Who’s who in Boris Johnson’s first cabinet | Who’s who in Boris Johnson’s first cabinet |
| And here is our guide to the ministers who were sacked, or who chose to leave. | And here is our guide to the ministers who were sacked, or who chose to leave. |
| Boris Johnson's cabinet cull: the departures | Boris Johnson's cabinet cull: the departures |
| Here is the agenda for the day. | Here is the agenda for the day. |
| 8.30am: Boris Johnson chairs his first cabinet. | 8.30am: Boris Johnson chairs his first cabinet. |
| After 10.30am: Jacob Rees-Mogg, the new leader of the Commons, takes business questions in the Commons. | After 10.30am: Jacob Rees-Mogg, the new leader of the Commons, takes business questions in the Commons. |
| After 11.30am: Johnson makes a statement to MPs. | After 11.30am: Johnson makes a statement to MPs. |
| As usual, I will be covering breaking political news as it happens, as well as bringing you the best reaction, comment and analysis from the web. I plan to publish a summary when I wrap up. | As usual, I will be covering breaking political news as it happens, as well as bringing you the best reaction, comment and analysis from the web. I plan to publish a summary when I wrap up. |
| You can read all the latest Guardian politics articles here. Here is the Politico Europe roundup of this morning’s political news. And here is the PoliticsHome list of today’s top 10 must-reads. | You can read all the latest Guardian politics articles here. Here is the Politico Europe roundup of this morning’s political news. And here is the PoliticsHome list of today’s top 10 must-reads. |
| If you want to follow me or contact me on Twitter, I’m on @AndrewSparrow. | If you want to follow me or contact me on Twitter, I’m on @AndrewSparrow. |
| I try to monitor the comments below the line (BTL) but it is impossible to read them all. If you have a direct question, do include “Andrew” in it somewhere and I’m more likely to find it. I do try to answer questions, and if they are of general interest, I will post the question and reply above the line (ATL), although I can’t promise to do this for everyone. | I try to monitor the comments below the line (BTL) but it is impossible to read them all. If you have a direct question, do include “Andrew” in it somewhere and I’m more likely to find it. I do try to answer questions, and if they are of general interest, I will post the question and reply above the line (ATL), although I can’t promise to do this for everyone. |
| If you want to attract my attention quickly, it is probably better to use Twitter. | If you want to attract my attention quickly, it is probably better to use Twitter. |