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Cabinet reshuffle: Liz Truss replaces Dominic Raab as foreign secretary Reshuffle: Boris Johnson fires Gavin Williamson as he rings cabinet changes
(about 1 hour later)
Liz Truss has been promoted to one of the key jobs in governmentLiz Truss has been promoted to one of the key jobs in government
Liz Truss has been confirmed as the UK's new foreign secretary, as Boris Johnson rejigs his ministerial team. Boris Johnson has fired a string of cabinet ministers - and promoted new faces to replace them - in a major reshuffle.
The international trade secretary replaces Dominic Raab, who becomes justice secretary and deputy PM. The prime minister sacked under-fire Education Secretary Gavin Williamson and moved Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab to the justice department.
Mr Johnson sacked Gavin Williamson as education secretary and replaced him with vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi. Chancellor Rishi Sunak and Home Secretary Priti Patel keep their jobs.
Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick has also been fired - but Chancellor Rishi Sunak and Home Secretary Priti Patel keep their jobs. But there are promotions for Liz Truss, who goes to the foreign office, and Nadine Dorries, who gets culture.
Michael Gove replaces Mr Jenrick, while keeping current responsibility for the government's "levelling up" agenda - spreading wealth and opportunity around the country - and handling demands for another Scottish independence referendum. Downing Street said the aim of the reshuffle was to "put in place a strong and united team to build back better from the pandemic".
And Nadine Dorries, a health minister and best-selling novelist, replaces Oliver Dowden as culture secretary. More moves are expected over the coming hours, as Mr Johnson seeks to fill vacant positions.
In other moves:
Oliver Dowden is given the role of minister without portfolio at the Cabinet Office
Mr Dowden will also be Conservative Party co-chair, replacing Amanda Milling
Mark Spencer stays as chief whip, in charge of party discipline
Mr Raab - who has faced heavy criticism for his handling of the aftermath of the fall of Afghanistan - is understood to have had a long conversation with Mr Johnson before his new roles were announced.
Follow live: Johnson reshuffles cabinetFollow live: Johnson reshuffles cabinet
Where did it go wrong for Gavin Williamson?Where did it go wrong for Gavin Williamson?
Who is Dominic Raab?Who is Dominic Raab?
He stood in for Mr Johnson last year when the PM was in hospital with coronavirus and was already seen as the de facto deputy PM, but his new title will formalise it. In addition to justice secretary and Lord Chancellor, Mr Raab has also been given the title of deputy prime minister, after what is understood to have been a lengthy and difficult conversation with the prime minister.
A source denied Mr Raab was angry with the move from the Foreign Office, but he is understood to be unhappy with the way his handling of the withdrawal from Afghanistan was portrayed.
In other moves:
Vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi is promoted to education secretary
Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick is fired - and replaced by Michael Gove
Treasury minister Steve Barclay replaces Mr Gove as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
Oliver Dowden is given the role of minister without portfolio at the Cabinet Office
Mr Dowden also becomes Conservative Party co-chair, replacing Amanda Milling
The big winners from the reshuffle include Ms Dorries, a junior health minister and best-selling novelist who has never sat in the cabinet before, and Ms Truss, who moves into one of the top three jobs in government from the Department for International Trade.
New Housing, Communities and Local Government Secretary Michael Gove will also retain responsibility for the government's "levelling up" agenda - spreading wealth and opportunity around the country - and handling demands for another Scottish independence referendum.
Dominic Raab helped shape the government's Global Britain foreign policy and toughened the UK's stance towards Russia and China.Dominic Raab helped shape the government's Global Britain foreign policy and toughened the UK's stance towards Russia and China.
But he also ran an unhappy ship with the Foreign Office struggling with budget cuts, low morale and a difficult merger with the International Development Department.But he also ran an unhappy ship with the Foreign Office struggling with budget cuts, low morale and a difficult merger with the International Development Department.
He was accused by his detractors of being a control freak who lost the trust of some officials and ambassadors.He was accused by his detractors of being a control freak who lost the trust of some officials and ambassadors.
And then the mishandling of the Afghanistan evacuation - and his decision to stay on holiday - prompted further criticism.And then the mishandling of the Afghanistan evacuation - and his decision to stay on holiday - prompted further criticism.
Liz Truss now becomes - after Margaret Beckett - only the second woman to hold the role of foreign secretary.Liz Truss now becomes - after Margaret Beckett - only the second woman to hold the role of foreign secretary.
As a former trade minister, she is a known figure on the international diplomatic circuit, having negotiated trade deals that had to be replaced after Brexit.As a former trade minister, she is a known figure on the international diplomatic circuit, having negotiated trade deals that had to be replaced after Brexit.
She will bring some character - even panache - to a job that often requires a bit of human diplomacy.She will bring some character - even panache - to a job that often requires a bit of human diplomacy.
But she will face an uphill task to revive an institution in the Foreign Office that has felt in recent times somewhat marginalised in government.But she will face an uphill task to revive an institution in the Foreign Office that has felt in recent times somewhat marginalised in government.
Mr Raab's day-to-day job will be as justice secretary and Lord Chancellor - the UK's most senior law officer. Dominic Raab is no longer foreign secretary and Gavin Williamson has been sacked as education secretary by the PM
BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg said it was undoubtedly a demotion, despite the "bauble" of the deputy PM role. Losers from the reshuffle include Mr Williamson, who has faced repeated opposition calls to quit, or be sacked, over his handling of disruption to schools and exams during the pandemic.
He replaces Robert Buckland at justice, who said on Twitter he was "deeply proud of everything I have achieved". He said he was "proud" of the "transformational reforms I've led in post-16 education: in further education colleges, our skills agenda, apprenticeships and more".
For Labour, shadow education secretary Kate Green said Mr Williamson had "failed children and young people, their parents and our hard-working education staff throughout one of the most testing periods in our history".
Robert Buckland also looks set for a return to the backbenches after being replaced Mr Raab as the UK's most senior law officer.
Nadine Dorries has been promoted to the cabinet for the first timeNadine Dorries has been promoted to the cabinet for the first time
BBC Home Affairs Correspondent Dominic Casciani said Mr Buckland was a respected figure in the legal profession, but leaves office with 58,000 serious criminal cases waiting to come to a crown court. BBC home affairs correspondent Dominic Casciani said Mr Buckland was a respected figure in the legal profession, but leaves office with 58,000 serious criminal cases waiting to come to a Crown Court.
'Failed children'
Labour's shadow justice secretary David Lammy said: "Appointing a failed foreign secretary who was fired for being missing in action to be the sixth justice secretary in six years shows how little this government cares about victims of crime."Labour's shadow justice secretary David Lammy said: "Appointing a failed foreign secretary who was fired for being missing in action to be the sixth justice secretary in six years shows how little this government cares about victims of crime."
Mr Williamson earlier confirmed his departure in a tweet, saying: "It has been a privilege to serve as education secretary since 2019.
"Despite the challenges of the global pandemic, I'm particularly proud of the transformational reforms I've led in Post 16 education: in further education colleges, our Skills agenda, apprenticeships and more."
He has faced intense criticism over his handling of disruption to schools and exams during the pandemic.
Dominic Raab is no longer foreign secretary and Gavin Williamson has been sacked as education secretary by the PM
Labour's shadow education secretary Kate Green said Mr Williamson had "failed children and young people, their parents and our hard working education staff throughout one of the most testing periods in our history".
Mr Jenrick - who has been under pressure over planning law changes - said it had been a "huge privilege" to serve as a minister.
Downing Street said the aim of the reshuffle was to "put in place a strong and united team to build back better from the pandemic".
Widespread rejig
Confirmation of the reshuffle came as Mr Johnson was on his feet in the Commons taking Prime Minister's Questions.
He remained in the Commons after PMQs, where he was able to sack ministers in his private office, away from the cameras in Downing Street, but he is now back at No 10.
Up to now, Mr Johnson has largely stuck with the cabinet team he appointed after winning the December 2019 general election.
The one major change came in February 2020, when Rishi Sunak became chancellor following the resignation of Sajid Javid.
Mr Javid returned to government in July this year as health secretary, following the resignation of Matt Hancock.