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| William Hague quits as foreign secretary in cabinet reshuffle | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| William Hague is to stand down as foreign secretary, and will stay in the cabinet as Leader of the Commons, Downing Street has said. | |
| Mr Hague is to leave Parliament at the 2015 general election after 26 years as MP for Richmond, Yorkshire. | |
| As part of a significant ministerial reshuffle, veteran Conservative MP Ken Clarke has also stepped down. | |
| Mr Clarke, who first became an MP in 1970, attended cabinet as minister without portfolio. | Mr Clarke, who first became an MP in 1970, attended cabinet as minister without portfolio. |
| He had held a number of top cabinet positions under Margaret Thatcher and John Major, including home secretary and chancellor of the exchequer. | He had held a number of top cabinet positions under Margaret Thatcher and John Major, including home secretary and chancellor of the exchequer. |
| In other moves, David Jones has been sacked as Welsh Secretary, having been in the cabinet post for two years. | In other moves, David Jones has been sacked as Welsh Secretary, having been in the cabinet post for two years. |
| Prime Minister David Cameron said: "William Hague has been one of the leading lights of the Conservative Party for a generation, leading the party and serving in two cabinets. | |
| "Not only has he been a first class foreign secretary - he has also been a close confidante, a wise counsellor and a great friend. | |
| "He will remain as First Secretary of State and my de facto political deputy in the run up to the election - and it is great to know that he will be a core part of the team working to ensure an outright Conservative victory at the next election." | |
| Mr Hague said: "I am delighted to be able to serve as Leader of the House of Commons, and to be able to campaign for Conservative candidates across the country. I want to finish in frontline politics as I began - speaking in Parliament and campaigning among the voters. | |
| "After the General Election I will return to my writing, while still giving very active support to the Conservative Party and campaigning on international causes I believe in. | |
| "I wish to thank my constituents in Richmond, Yorkshire, one of the greatest places on earth, for their emphatic support through thick and thin over such a long period. I will serve them with unabated energy between now and the General Election, and I look forward to supporting my eventual successor." | |
| Mr Jones had previously been a junior minister in the Welsh Office. | Mr Jones had previously been a junior minister in the Welsh Office. |
| The prime minister is understood to have held a series of meetings in his House of Commons office earlier with MPs leaving the government. | The prime minister is understood to have held a series of meetings in his House of Commons office earlier with MPs leaving the government. |
| Meanwhile, other Conservative MPs to have lost their ministerial jobs include: | Meanwhile, other Conservative MPs to have lost their ministerial jobs include: |
| During his 44 years in the Commons, Mr Clarke spent more than 20 years as a minister. | During his 44 years in the Commons, Mr Clarke spent more than 20 years as a minister. |
| BBC political editor Nick Robinson said Mr Clarke has told friends that at the age of 74 he has had enough of red boxes and "enjoyed three days at last week's Test match in anticipation of today's announcement". | BBC political editor Nick Robinson said Mr Clarke has told friends that at the age of 74 he has had enough of red boxes and "enjoyed three days at last week's Test match in anticipation of today's announcement". |
| He became justice secretary in 2010 and has held his current role since 2012. | He became justice secretary in 2010 and has held his current role since 2012. |
| Former Conservative Party leader Lord Howard told BBC Radio 4's PM programme: "It is quite a moment. Ken has made the most extraordinary contribution to our public life. He was an outstanding chancellor of the exchequer." | Former Conservative Party leader Lord Howard told BBC Radio 4's PM programme: "It is quite a moment. Ken has made the most extraordinary contribution to our public life. He was an outstanding chancellor of the exchequer." |
| And former Conservative deputy PM Lord Heseltine told the BBC News Channel: "Ken has been a fantastic servant of this country, and also of the Conservative Party, but there just is a time when you have to face up to it: the generation moves on. | And former Conservative deputy PM Lord Heseltine told the BBC News Channel: "Ken has been a fantastic servant of this country, and also of the Conservative Party, but there just is a time when you have to face up to it: the generation moves on. |
| "You won't have heard the last of Ken, believe me." | "You won't have heard the last of Ken, believe me." |
| Conservative Mayor of London Boris Johnston said that Mr Clarke's resignation represented a "big loss". | Conservative Mayor of London Boris Johnston said that Mr Clarke's resignation represented a "big loss". |
| He was a "fantastic, front-line politician" and also a "great communicator", the mayor said. | He was a "fantastic, front-line politician" and also a "great communicator", the mayor said. |
| Mr Clarke, who was chancellor between 1993 and 1997, has stood for the Conservative leadership three times, missing out narrowly on two occasions. | Mr Clarke, who was chancellor between 1993 and 1997, has stood for the Conservative leadership three times, missing out narrowly on two occasions. |
| He was one of the most pro-European voices at the top of the Conservative Party. | He was one of the most pro-European voices at the top of the Conservative Party. |
| Mr Clarke told ITV news he had been "demob happy" for some time and had spent more of the past week at the England versus India cricket test match than in his office. | Mr Clarke told ITV news he had been "demob happy" for some time and had spent more of the past week at the England versus India cricket test match than in his office. |
| "I shall carry on being MP for Rushcliffe. I'm afraid I'm a lifelong addict to politics," he said. | "I shall carry on being MP for Rushcliffe. I'm afraid I'm a lifelong addict to politics," he said. |
| He had enjoyed a "good long innings" in government and would continue to be "largely supportive" of the PM from the backbenches, Mr Clarke added. | He had enjoyed a "good long innings" in government and would continue to be "largely supportive" of the PM from the backbenches, Mr Clarke added. |
| Mr Cameron is expected to use the reshuffle to promote more women within ministerial ranks - but replacements for the outgoing ministers have not yet been announced. | Mr Cameron is expected to use the reshuffle to promote more women within ministerial ranks - but replacements for the outgoing ministers have not yet been announced. |
| Tuesday's scheduled cabinet meeting has been cancelled amid suggestions that the prime minister will then reveal who will be joining his top team. | Tuesday's scheduled cabinet meeting has been cancelled amid suggestions that the prime minister will then reveal who will be joining his top team. |