Updated September 16th, 2021 at 07:50 IST
United Kingdom: Here are all the key changes in Boris Johnson's Cabinet reshuffle
The UK Prime Minister’s office said that the aim of a reshuffle was to put in place “a strong and united team to build back better from the pandemic".
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In a major Cabinet reshuffle, UK PM Boris Johnson has fired a string of ministers and promoted new faces to replace them. The Prime Minister’s office on 15 September had said that the aim of a reshuffle was to put in place “a strong and united team to build back better from the pandemic”. According to AP, Johnson fired his education, justice and housing secretaries, and even demoted his former foreign secretary.
The Cabinet I have appointed today will work tirelessly to unite and level up the whole country.
— Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) September 15, 2021
We will build back better from the pandemic and deliver on your priorities.
Now let’s get on with the job.
In the biggest move in the reshuffle, Johnson sacked Education Secretary Gavin Williamson and demoted Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, who has faced criticism over the recent months for delaying his return from a holiday in Greece as the Taliban took over Afghanistan. Raab has been appointed Justice Secretary, with the added title of Deputy PM. He will be replaced by International Trade Secretary Liz Truss.
Williamson, on the other hand, was the first to confirm he had been fired. While taking to Twitter, he said that it had been a “privilege to serve” in the job. He also added that he is looking forward to continuing to support the PM and the government. It is worth noting that Williamson had been under fire for his performance during the pandemic.
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.
— Gavin Williamson (@GavinWilliamson) September 15, 2021
New UK Cabinet
In other moves, vaccine minister Nadhim Zahawi, who has been praised for presiding over the UK inoculation programme, has been promoted to the education secretary. Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick has been sacked and replaced by Michael Gove. Treasury Minister Steve Barclay has replaced Gove as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. Anne-Marie Travelyan has returned to Cabinet as international trade secretary, stepping into Truss’s shoes.
Moreover, Oliver Dowden has now been given the role of minister without portfolio at the Cabinet Office. Dowden will replace Amanda Milling as well, and will now co-chair the Conservative Party. Simon Clarke is now the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, and Nick Gibb, the school minister, has left the government after seven years. Nadine Dorries, a junior health minister and best-selling novelist, has been promoted to secretary of state for digital, culture, media and sport. In the coming hours, more moves are expected as the British PM seeks to fill vacant positions.
(Image: AP)
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Published September 16th, 2021 at 07:50 IST
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