BREAKING NEWS: Theresa May appoints Andrea Leadsom as Environment Secretary despite motherhood row - but SACKS Michael Gove, Nicky Morgan, Oliver Letwin and John Whittingdale

After clearing out several key positions, Mrs May will today continue in remoulding her Cabinet after taking top job

Justine Greening was made Education Secretary, Liz Truss is in at Justice, and Gavin Williamson is the chief whip

Patrick McLoughlin was moved from transport to be Tory Party Chairman and the new Duchy of Lancaster

Greg Clark made Business, Energy and Industry Secretary in a major shakeup of Whitehall departments

New PM spent much of yesterday in talks with civil servants and advisers and today set to work on her new team

May has made Boris Johnson Foreign Secretary, Amber Rudd Home Secretary and Philip Hammond Chancellor


By TIM SCULTHORPE, MAILONLINE DEPUTY POLITICAL EDITOR and JAMES TAPSFIELD, MAILONLINE POLITICAL EDITOR and MATT DATHAN, MAILONLINE POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT
PUBLISHED: 00:57 GMT, 14 July 2016 | UPDATED: 14:56 GMT, 14 July 2016

Theresa May made her leadership rival Andrea Leadsom Environment Secretary this afternoon as she finalised her first Cabinet - hours after sacking Michael Gove, Nicky Morgan, John Whittingdale and Oliver Letwin in a brutal morning for David Cameron's former team.

Stephen Crabb quit the Government this afternoon in the 'best interests' of his family days after he faced allegations of sexting.

Theresa Villiers, who was Northern Ireland Secretary, resigned this lunchtime after being offered a new job and turning it down. Mark Harper also resigned today.

Close ally Chris Grayling, who ran Mrs May's leadership campaign and was thought likely to get a big promotion, was appointed Transport Secretary. Another ally, Damian Green, was handed the big work and pensions brief.

In a major Whitehall shake up, Mrs May created a Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy department - handing the large and powerful brief to Greg Clark.

Mrs May met MPs she was firing in Parliament to carry out the sackings and No 10 confirmed the departures of Mr Gove, Mr Letwin, Mr Whittingdale and Mrs Morgan from Government. The new PM then travelled to Downing Street to make her appointments at No 10.


Theresa May arrived at Downing Street this morning after a brutal morning spent sacking a series of colleagues from the Government


Two of the new Prime Minister's recent high-profile rivals will have spent the night sweating over their futures anxious that they will miss out on top jobs within Theresa
May's new look Cabinet


John Whittingdale, far left, is gone from culture, media and sport and Nicky Morgan, second left, has been sacked from education. Michael Gove, second right,
is out at justice and Oliver Letwin, right, is gone as Duchy of Lancaster

In other appointments today, Liz Truss was made Lord Chancellor and Justice Secretary while Justine Greening was installed as Education Secretary and minister for women.

Gavin Williamson, the long term Parliamentary aide to David Cameron, was made chief whip today in a huge promotion. Patrick McLoughlin was moved from transport to be party chairman and the new Duchy of Lancaster - effectively a fixer helping the Government run.

Jeremy Hunt is staying on as Health Secretary after three controversial years and Baroness Evans becomes Leader of the House of Lords - replacing Baroness Stowell.

Mr Gove ran against Mrs May for the Tory leadership - exploding Boris Johnson's hopes for No 10 in the process - with the backing of Mrs Morgan, who signed his nomination papers. Mr Whittingdale had also supported Mr Gove for the top job.

Today's sackings came the morning after Mrs May disposed of George Osborne's services as Chancellor of the Exchequer.

In a day of fast moving developments:

  • Theresa May started the day at the House of Commons by sacking four Cabinet ministers as Michael Gove, Nicky Morgan, John Whittingdale were all fired.
  • Three more ministers volunteered for the scrap heap as Stephen Crabb, Theresa Villiers Mark Harper all resigned when offered jobs.
  • Having cleared the decks, Mrs May returned to Downing Street to receive ministers she would appoint. First in were Liz Truss and Justine Greening, made Justice Secretary and Education Secretary respectively.
  • Feverish speculation spread around Westminster that Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt was gone - only for him to appear in Downing Street and be reappointed. His NHS lapel badge, missing as he arrived at No 10, magically reappeared as he left waving to waiting media.
  • In other appointments, Gavin Williamson was given a huge promotion from parliamentary aide to Chief Whip while Baroness Natalie Evans leapt from whip to Leader of the Lords in a single bound.
  • Patrick McLoughlin, a former miner, becomes Party Chairman as Mrs May seeks to rebrand the Tory Party.
  • Close allies Chris Grayling and Damian Green both entered Mrs May's Cabinet as Transport and Work and Pensions Secretary respectively.
  • After Mrs May made a vocal support of the union, she appointed key ally James Brokenshire to Northern Ireland while Alun Cairns retained the Wales brief.
  • As part of the changes, Mrs May is expected to fundamentally rewire Government to accommodate new Brexit and International Trade Departments. The Business, Innovation and Skills department was hollowed out - with universities heading to the Department for Education - but it inherited the Department for Energy and Climate Change, which is expected to close.


Mrs Morgan today tweeted: 'Disappointed not to be continuing as Education Secretary & Min for Women & Equalities - two wonderful roles it's been a privilege to hold.'

Mr Whittingdale said: 'Has been a privilege to serve as Culture Secretary. I wish my successor every success & will continue to support creative industries.'

Mr Gove tweeted: 'It's been an enormous privilege to serve for the last six years. Best of luck to the new government.'

Announcing her resignation, Ms Villiers said: 'I regret to say that I have left the Government. The new Prime Minister was kind enough to offer me a role but it was not one which I felt I could take on.

'I am very grateful to have been given the opportunity to serve on the front bench for 11 years, first in the Shadow Cabinet, then as Transport Minister, and finally as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland for four years in David Cameron's Cabinet.'

There had been strong rumours Mr Hunt would be moved on - but he this afternoon joked: '''Reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated...'' Thrilled to be back in the best job in Government.'

Announcing his resignation, Mr Crabb said: 'Over the last two years I have had the huge privilege to serve in the Cabinet.

'After careful reflection I have informed the Prime Minister today that, in the best interests of my family, I cannot be part of her Government at this time.

'I am grateful to my whole team for their hard work and encouragement. I look forward to supporting the Government's one nation vision from the backbenches.'

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Andrea Leadsom, left, was made Environment Secretary. Stephen Crabb, centre, arrived at No 10 to find out if he would get a move from Work and Pensions -
only to resign anyway shortly after leaving. Baroness Evans, right, was appointed leader of the Lords this afternoon


Jeremy Hunt emerged jubilant from No 10 after being reappointed as health secretary today


Greg Clark was handed a big new job in the merged Business, Energy and Industry Department today. Priti Patel heads up International Development while
James Brokenshire goes to Northern Ireland

Reacting to the sackings, Tory MP Nadine Dorries - who had a long running feud with Mr Cameron - said: 'Karma can be such a b****.'

Mrs May last night made the bombshell appointment of leading Brexiteer Boris Johnson to the Foreign Office, made David Davis Brexit Secretary and Liam Fox an International Trade Secretary.

Allies Philip Hammond and Amber Rudd were handed the Treasury and Home Office respectively, while Michael Fallon stays on at defence.

Alongside the ministerial changes, Mrs May looked set to rearrange the structure of Government to accommodate her new Brexit and International Trade departments.

The Department for Education appeared set to take on responsibility for universities and higher education, currently covered by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS).

In return BIS absorb the Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC) - becoming a new Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Department run by Greg Clark.


Liz Truss was the first into Downing Street today and was appointed as Justice Secretary. Justine Greening also arrived at Downing Street this morning to be
made Education Secretary. Also into No 10 today were Patrick McLoughlin, who is now party chairman, and Gavin Williamson, the new chief whip

Creating two new Secretaries of State means Mrs May needs to either change the law or eliminate two existing positions.

One of Mrs May’s first moves as Prime Minister last night was to speak to leaders across Europe, telling them she would deliver the split from the EU that Britons voted for last month but warned it could take time to prepare for negotiations.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel was the first to congratulate Mrs May, phoning during a visit to Kyrgyzstan last night.

She invited the new UK premier to visit Germany in the coming months and said she was looked forward to meeting her at the G20 in China in September.

A Downing Street spokeswoman said: 'The Prime Minister explained that we would need some time to prepare for these negotiations and spoke of her hope that these could be conducted in a constructive and positive spirit.

‘They agreed that they wanted to establish a constructive relationship, recognising the importance of close co-operation between the UK and Germany.’

Mrs May also took congratulatory calls from French President Francois Hollande and the Irish Taoiseach Enda Kenny, who she invited to visit London for talks.

President Hollande stressed the importance of the bilateral relationship between France and Britain, particularly security and defence co-operation and also the joint work on border controls in Calais.

'The Prime Minister offered her best wishes to the President and the people of France for Bastille Day tomorrow and the President invited the Prime Minister to visit Paris,' the spokeswoman said.



Nicky Morgan revealed her sacking as education secretary today, which also means she will no longer hold the women and equalities brief. Mrs Morgan backed
Michael Gove for the leadership


John Whittingdale is also gone as culture secretary as Mrs May clears the decks for further new appointments of her own


Mr Gove tweeted: 'It's been an enormous privilege to serve for the last six years. Best of luck to the new government.'

Mrs Leadsom dropped out of the Tory leadership race on Monday, handing Mrs May the keys to No 10.

Her senior allies claimed she had been forced out of the contest by ’spin and underhand tactics’ as the leadership contest ended in furious Tory bloodletting.

MPs on the Right of the party made no attempt to conceal their anger at fellow MPs who had criticised Mrs Leadsom and urged her to stand down.

Iain Duncan Smith, the ex-Work and Pensions Secretary, said other Tory MPs must ‘examine their conscience’.

He added: ‘This is no way to treat colleagues. They should be putting the country first, not their personal ambitions.’

The junior energy minister had faced a wave of criticism over comments she made in an interview with The Times when she appeared to suggest that the fact she was a mother gave her the edge as a future PM over the childless Mrs May.

She also faced a string of questions over the accuracy of her City CV and demands that she release her tax returns.



Reacting to the sackings, Tory MP Nadine Dorries - who had a long running feud with Mr Cameron - said: 'Karma can be such a b****.'

Michael Gove was humbled in the second round of voting in the Tory contest, attracting the support of just 46 MPs – fewer than he managed in the first round.

One MP said it also brought a ‘brutal end’ to the reign of the Notting Hill Tories, who have run the Conservative Party since David Cameron became leader in 2005.

Mr Gove’s poor showing reflected Tory anger over his betrayal of Mr Johnson, whose campaign he torpedoed just hours before it was due to be launched. Allies of the former London mayor made no attempt to disguise their satisfaction at Mr Gove’s downfall. In a message on Twitter, which was later deleted, Mr Johnson’s sister Rachel said: ‘Gove won’t tear us apart again.’

One ally of the former mayor said: ‘Gove offered the party and the country vaulting ambition, craven disloyalty and treachery. Today his arrogance was repaid in full – with failure and total humiliation.’

Ben Wallace, who managed Mr Johnson’s campaign until it was cut short by Mr Gove, issued a brutal assessment of his character this week, saying: ‘Michael seems to have an emotional need to gossip, particularly when drink is taken, as it all too often seemed to be.’


The new ministers were getting down to work today, with Boris Johnson introducing himself to the Foreign Office with a speech and new Home Secretary Amber
Rudd getting out on the beat with the Met

Junior ministers who have worked with Mrs May like James Brokenshire could also see an elevation.

The traditional spectacle of seeing MPs summoned to Downing Street for hiring and firing discussions with the Prime Minister will continue on Thursday amid speculation that Mrs May could reorganise government departments.

Junior ministerial appointments will then follow as Mrs May sets about creating a government driven not by the interests of 'the privileged few' but those of voters struggling with the pressures of modern life.

'I know you are working around the clock, I know you are doing your best and I know that sometimes life can be a struggle,' she told voters in a speech at Downing Street.

'The government I lead will be driven not by the interests of the privileged few but by yours. We will do everything we can to give you more control over your lives.'


Boris Johnson left home today with his first ever Red Box today after being appointed to the Foreign Office by Theresa May

Boris Johnson was last night appointed Britain's new Foreign Secretary in a shock development as Mrs May started to build her new Cabinet.

She named Philip Hammond as her new Chancellor and sacked George Osborne in a historic evening in Westminster less than two hours after she was officially sworn in as the UK's second female Prime Minister.

Amber Rudd was appointed the new Home Secretary, moving on from the Energy and Climate Change Department, while Michael Fallon will stay as Defence Secretary.

Mr Hammond moves to the Treasury after serving as Foreign Secretary for more than two years.

Ms Rudd is expected to be appointed the new Home Secretary - a vacant position after Mrs May left the department to become Prime Minister.

Mr Osborne was sacked by Mrs May, bringing an abrupt end to his six years in charge of the Treasury.

There were also reports that all of David Cameron's political advisors had left Downing Street - a sign Mrs May is determined to break with the past.

Justine Greening, the international development secretary, was originally among those expected to be in line for prominent positions. She was one of the first Cabinet ministers to declare for Mrs May and was thought to be heading to health or education.

However, both she and Chris Grayling - also tipped for a top role - were last night rumoured to have missed out.

Employment minister Priti Patel is on course to be bumped up to a full Cabinet job, while Karen Bradley, who worked for Mrs May at the Home Office, was also in with a chance of earning a promotion.

Mrs May spent much of yesterday locked in talks with senior civil servants and her advisers.

Those joining the Cabinet are set to be unveiled this morning.

Theresa May sacks Michael Gove as she prepares Cabinet for Brexit | Daily Mail Online