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Baroness Warsi's replacement is announced | Baroness Warsi's replacement is announced |
(34 minutes later) | |
The government's chief whip in the House of Lords is to replace Baroness Warsi as a Foreign Office minister, with the right to attend cabinet. | The government's chief whip in the House of Lords is to replace Baroness Warsi as a Foreign Office minister, with the right to attend cabinet. |
Baroness Anelay of St Johns - a former president of the Citizens Advice Bureau - has been in the Lords since 1996. | Baroness Anelay of St Johns - a former president of the Citizens Advice Bureau - has been in the Lords since 1996. |
Lord Taylor of Holbeach is the new Lords Chief Whip, No 10 said. | Lord Taylor of Holbeach is the new Lords Chief Whip, No 10 said. |
Lady Warsi quit the government on Tuesday in protest at what she called its "morally indefensible" policy on Gaza. | Lady Warsi quit the government on Tuesday in protest at what she called its "morally indefensible" policy on Gaza. |
Other changes in what amounts to a mini-reshuffle, following Lady Warsi's surprise departure, include former Conservative MP Lord Bates, who replaces Lord Taylor as parliamentary under secretary of state at the Home Office. | Other changes in what amounts to a mini-reshuffle, following Lady Warsi's surprise departure, include former Conservative MP Lord Bates, who replaces Lord Taylor as parliamentary under secretary of state at the Home Office. |
'Tory unease' | |
Communities Secretary Eric Pickles, who paid warm tribute to Lady Warsi on Tuesday, will take over her faith brief, in addition to his existing responsibilities. | Communities Secretary Eric Pickles, who paid warm tribute to Lady Warsi on Tuesday, will take over her faith brief, in addition to his existing responsibilities. |
Reacting to her resignation on Tuesday, Mr Pickles said: "I'm sorry that she has gone. I don't think it was a necessary resignation." | Reacting to her resignation on Tuesday, Mr Pickles said: "I'm sorry that she has gone. I don't think it was a necessary resignation." |
He added: "My view is that what both sides need to do is an immediate and unconditional ceasefire, and I hope the present ceasefire will hold". | He added: "My view is that what both sides need to do is an immediate and unconditional ceasefire, and I hope the present ceasefire will hold". |
After resigning on Tuesday, Lady Warsi said there was "unease" among Conservative backbenchers and "concern" at ministerial level over the government's position on Gaza, adding: "I've had a minister in a late-night conversation talking about resignation." | |
In her letter to the prime minister, Lady Warsi - the first Muslim woman to serve in a British cabinet - said: "I must be able to live with myself for the decisions I took or the decisions I supported. By staying in government at this time I do not feel that I can be sure of that." | |
'Respect' | |
Mr Cameron replied that he understood her "strength of feeling on the current crisis", adding the situation in Gaza was "intolerable", but he rejected her call to change direction. | |
"Our policy has always been consistently clear - we support a negotiated two-state solution as the only way to resolve this conflict once and for all and to allow Israelis and Palestinians to live safely in peace," he said. | |
Culture Secretary Sajid Javid said he had a "great deal of respect" for Baroness Warsi, adding that she had done "excellent work" for the Conservative Party and in government. | |
Speaking after a speech on the economy at Westminster, he said: "She's clearly someone of very clear principles, you don't have to agree with someone's principles to respect them and I think she deserves respect. It is regrettable that she's left government." |