Boris Johnson asserted his dominance over the government with a larger-than-expected reshuffle which swept underperforming ministers out of the cabinet and delivered demotions for “big beasts” Michael Gove and Dominic Raab.
In a shake-up characterised by No 10 as creating a team to “build back better” after the Covid pandemic, the prime minister replaced Raab with Liz Truss as foreign secretary following his humiliation over Afghanistan, and dismissed Gavin Williamson as education secretary after a succession of missteps culminating in him confusing one black England sports star, Marcus Rashford, with another, Maro Itoje.
He signalled his determination to continue stoking culture wars by putting Nadine Dorries in charge of the Department of Culture, Media and Sport. The long-time Johnson ally, who has previously inveighed against “left-wing snowflakes”, will have a crucial say in the future of the BBC and Channel 4, as well as appointments to influential positions like the chair of media regulator Ofcom.
In a concession to restive Tory backbenchers, Johnson sacked Robert Jenrick, whose planning reforms – now set to be watered down – had caused fury in leafy Conservative heartland seats.
In his place he put Mr Gove, who adds responsibilities for Mr Johnson’s “levelling up” agenda, electoral reform and preserving the union to a beefed-up Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government which some at Westminster were describing as a department for intractable problems.
Recommended Boris Johnson’s Brexit chief to lay down ultimatum to Brussels Johnson urged to expand UK’s ‘total farce’ scheme for Afghan refugees PM isolated as MPs rage at UK’s ‘weakness’ and ‘shame’ in Afghanistan
After a successful stint as vaccines minister, Nadhim Zahawi joined the cabinet as education secretary, with the crucial job of putting schools and universities on an even keel after two years of shutdowns and cancelled exams due to the Covid pandemic.
And Tory grassroots darling Truss was rewarded for her indefatigable global travels in search of post-Brexit trade deals by being made only the second woman ever to hold the post of foreign secretary.
Mr Raab resisted his demotion to justice secretary and lord chancellor, accepting only after being granted the title of deputy prime minister, formally confirming the position he previously held on a de facto basis as first secretary of state.
His appointment will alarm liberties campaigners because of his long-standing distaste for the European Convention on Human Rights and Human Rights Act and advocacy for their replacement with a British bill of rights.
He inherits a massive backlog of court cases from predecessor Robert Buckland, whose dismissal was condemned by Commons Justice Committee chair, Tory MP Bob Neill, as “unjust and outrageous”.
UK news in pictures Show all 50
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UK news in pictures 15 September 2021 Children pose by ice sculptures depicting people collecting water by charity Water Aid to show the fragility of water and the threat posed by climate change in London
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UK news in pictures 14 September 2021 Heavy rain covers the A149 near Kings Lynn in Norfolk
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UK news in pictures 13 September 2021 Luke Jerram's 'Museum of the Moon' at Durham Cathedral
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UK news in pictures 12 September 2021 Inspirational young fundraiser Tobias Weller crosses the finish line, near his home in Sheffield, as he completes his latest epic feat where he swam and triked his way to the end of his “awesome” year-long Ironman Challenge. This is the third challenge Tobias, who has cerebral palsy and autism, has completed, raising more than ￡150,000 for his school and Sheffield Children Hospital’s charity
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UK news in pictures 11 September 2021 British player Emma Raducanu, holds up the US Open championship trophy winning the women's singles final of the US Open in New York
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UK news in pictures 10 September 2021 People paddle board during a misty morning in Ullswater, the second largest lake in the Lake District, Cumbria
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UK news in pictures 9 September 2021 Troops from Wiltshire based 4 Armoured Close Support Battalion Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers during final inspection at Wellington Barracks in London, ahead of providing troops for the Queen’s Guard
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UK news in pictures 8 September 2021 Workers cross London Bridge during the morning rush hour in London
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UK news in pictures Mixing it up: Painting it up press view in London A gallery employee poses for photographers next to a painting entitled “Prairie” by British artist, Louise Giovanelli during the exhibition 'Mixing it up: Painting it up' at the Hayward Gallery in London
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UK news in pictures 6 September 2021 Traders in the Ring at the London Metal Exchange, in the City of London, after open-outcry trading returned for the first time since March 2020, when the Ring was temporarily closed due to the pandemic
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UK news in pictures 5 September 2021 People enjoy the warm weather on Sandbanks beach, Poole
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UK news in pictures 4 September 2021 Demonstrators from Animal Rebellion and Nature Rebellion protest in Trafalgar Square in London.
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UK news in pictures 3 September 2021 South Africa's Ntando Mahlangu (centre) wins the Men's 200 metres T61 Final ahead of second placed Great Britain's Richard Whitehead at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games
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UK news in pictures 2 September 2021 A young common seal on the beach at Horsey Gap in Norfolk, as hundreds of pregnant grey seals come ashore ready for the start of the pupping season.
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UK news in pictures 1 September 2021 Goldfinches fighting over food in a garden in Strensham, Worcestershire
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UK news in pictures 31 August 2021 Gold Medallist Sarah Storey of Britain celebrates on the podium
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UK news in pictures 30 August 2021 Extinction Rebellion protesters hold a a tea party on Tower Bridge in London
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UK news in pictures 29 August 2021 A police office tussles with a demonstrator on Cromwell Road outside the Natural History Museum during a protest by members of Extinction Rebellion in London
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UK news in pictures 28 August 2021 Members of the British armed forces 16 Air Assault Brigade walk to the air terminal after disembarking a Royal Airforce Voyager aircraft at Brize Norton, Oxfordshire
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UK news in pictures 27 August 2021 Fabio Quartararo crashes during a MotoGP practice session at the British Grand Prix, Silverstone Circuit
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UK news in pictures 26 August 2021 An Extinction Rebellion activist holds a placard in a fountain surrounded by police officers, during a protest next to Buckingham Palace in London
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UK news in pictures 25 August 2021 Gold Medallist Great Britain’s cyclist, Sarah Storey, celebrates after winning the Women’s C5 3000m Individual Pursuit Final at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. It was her 15th Paralympic gold
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UK news in pictures 24 August 2021 A demonstrator dressed as bee during a protest by members of Extinction Rebellion on Whitehall, in central London
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UK news in pictures 23 August 2021 Former interpreters for the British forces in Afghanistan demonstrate outside the Home Office in central London
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UK news in pictures 22 August 2021 Police officers form a line in front of the entrance to the Guildhall, London, where protesters have climbed onto a ledge above the entrance during an Extinction Rebellion stage a protest
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UK news in pictures 21 August 2021 People take part in a demonstration in solidarity with people of Afghanistan, in London
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UK news in pictures 20 August 2021 People zip wire across the sea from Bournemouth pier towards the beach.
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UK news in pictures 19 August 2021 Supporters of Geronimo the alpaca gather outside Shepherds Close Farm in Wooton Under Edge, Gloucestershire
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UK news in pictures 18 August 2021 Former Afghan interpreters and veterans hold a demonstration outside Downing Street, calling for support and protection for Afghan interpreters and their families
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UK news in pictures 17 August 2021 Military personnel board the RAF Airbus A400M at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, where evacuation flights from Afghanistan have been landing
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UK news in pictures 16 August 2021 Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer takes part in a minute's silence at Wolverhampton police station for the victims of the Plymouth mass shooting last week
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UK news in pictures 15 August 2021 2Storm, a ten-metre tall puppet of a mythical goddess of the sea created by Edinburgh-based visual theatre company Vision Mechanics, makes its way alongside the seafront at North Berwick, East Lothian, during a performance at the Fringe By The Sea festival
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UK news in pictures 14 August 2021 A woman and two young girls look at floral tributes in Plymouth where six people, including the offender, died of gunshot wounds in a firearms incident
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UK news in pictures 13 August 2021 Forensic officers in the Keyham area of Plymouth where six people, including the shooter, died of gunshot wounds in a firearms incident on Thursday evening
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UK news in pictures 12 August 2021 Children ride horses in the River Eden in Appleby, Cumbria, during the annual gathering of travellers for the Appleby Horse Fair
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UK news in pictures 11 August 2021 Stella Moris (left) reacts after talking to the media outside the High Court in London, following the first hearing in the Julian Assange extradition appeal, n London, following the first hearing in the Julian Assange extradition appeal. The US government has won the latest round in its High Court bid to appeal against the decision not to extradite Julian Assange on espionage charges
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UK news in pictures 10 August 2021 Students react after they receive their A-Level results at the Ark Academy, in London
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UK news in pictures 9 August 2021 The final athletes from Great Britain arrive home including Jason Kenny, Laura Kenny and Katie Archibald (front left-right) at Heathrow Airport, London following the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games
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UK news in pictures 8 August 2021 Great Britain's Laura Kenny during the closing ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Olympic stadium in Japan
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UK news in pictures 7 August 2021 People from the Glasgow Southside community take part in the Govanhill Carnival, an anti-racist celebration of pride, unity and the contributions immigrants have made to the community in Govanhill, at Queen's Park, Glasgow
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UK news in pictures 6 August 2021 Chijindu Ujah of Britain, Zharnel Hughes of Britain, Richard Kilty of Britain and Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake of Britain celebrate winning silver as they pose with Asha Philip of Britain, Imani Lansiquot of Britain, Dina Asher-Smith of Britain and Daryll Neita of Britain after they won bronze in the women's 4 x 100m relay during Olympic Games Day 14
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UK news in pictures 5 August 2021 A protester places flowers on a photograph of an executed man during a demonstration organised by supporters of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) to protest against the inauguration of Iran's new president Ebrahim Raisi in central London
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UK news in pictures 4 August 2021 England's Joe Root looks on as India's KL Rahul doesn't make it to a catch during day one of Cinch First Test match at Trent Bridge, Nottingham
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UK news in pictures 3 August 2021 Great Britain's Laura Kenny and Jason Kenny with their silver medals for the Women's Team Pursuit and Men’s Team Sprint during the Track Cycling at the Izu Velodrome on the eleventh day of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Japan
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UK news in pictures 2 August 2021 Great Britain’s Charlotte Worthington competes during the Women’s BMX Freestyle Final at the Tokyo Olympics
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UK news in pictures 1 August 2021
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UK news in pictures 31 July 2021 James Guy, Adam Peaty and Kathleen Dawson celebrate winning the gold medal in the mixed 4x100m medley relay final at the Tokyo Olympics
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UK news in pictures 30 July 2021 Great Britain's Bethany Shriever and Kye Whyte celebrate their Gold and Silver medals respectively for the Cycling BMX Racing at the Ariake Urban Sports Park on the seventh day of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Japan
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UK news in pictures 29 July 2021 Team GB's Mallory Franklin during the Women’s Canoe Slalom Final on day six of the Tokyo Olympic Games. She went on to win the silver medal
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UK news in pictures 28 July 2021 Canoers on Llyn Padarn lake in Snowdonia, Gwynedd. It was announced that the north-west Wales slate landscape has been granted UNESCO World Heritage Status
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One of few remaining ministers from the Tories’ One Nation wing, Buckland was a QC who was well regarded in legal circles but presided over an ever-shrinking justice budget.
In other moves, Stephen Barclay was shifted from chief secretary of the Treasury – where he was at the heart of preparations for next month’s crucial spending review – to succeed Mr Gove as chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. Oliver Dowden moved from the culture brief to become the cabinet-level Tory party chair and minister without portfolio, replacing Amanda Milling, whose dismissal was seen in part as punishment for the crushing by-election defeat in Conservative stronghold Chesham and Amersham in June.
Anne-Marie Trevelyan took Ms Truss’s old job as international trade secretary, regaining the cabinet seat she lost when her former Department for International Development was merged with the Foreign Office. Her return boosted female representation from five to six out of 23 full cabinet members.
In a reshuffle which signalled little change in political direction but an apparent determination to put the travails of Brexit and Covid behind him and focus on domestic priorities like economic recovery and jobs, Mr Johnson kept key ministers like chancellor Rishi Sunak, home secretary Priti Patel – subject of much speculation about her position – and health secretary Sajid Javid in their posts.
Labour’s deputy leader Angela Rayner denounced the reshuffle as a distraction from the vote called by the party in the Commons on the impending ￡1,000-a-year cut in universal credit benefits. With Mr Johnson ordering Tory MPs to stay away, the vote to halt the removal of a ￡20 weekly coronavirus uplift to UC was passed by 253 to zero, but is not binding on the government. Four Conservatives – Peter Aldous (Waveney), John Stevenson (Carlisle), Neil Hudson (Penrith and The Border) and William Wragg (Hazel Grove) – rebelled to vote with Labour.
Former ministers sacked from cabinet will receive ￡16,000 severance payments just as UC claimants see a hit to their incomes at the start of next month.
“Labour forcing a vote to stop the Tories from taking ￡1,000 from 6 million families and driving more children into poverty matters a lot more to the lives of people than the reshuffle gossip of who’s up and who’s down,” said Ms Rayner.
She welcomed the dismissal of Mr Williamson, describing him as a “prat” who had “damaged the life chances of our country’s children”, and warned that Mr Raab “wants to scrap workers’ rights and ‘doesn’t believe in’ economic and social rights”.
Liberal Democrat deputy leader Daisy Cooper said Mr Williamson had been “the most incompetent education secretary in living memory”, but branded his successor Mr Zahawi as “completely out of touch” after he claimed in an interview last year that families would rather pay “a modest amount” than accept free school meals.
Broadcasting union Bectu voiced alarm over best-selling author Ms Dorries’s appointment.
“The new culture secretary needs to focus more on supporting our cultural industries and less on stoking divisive culture wars,” said Mick Clancy, general secretary of Bectu’s parent union Prospect.
“Instead of an agenda of undermining much-loved institutions like the BBC, National Trust and Channel 4, government should be celebrating an industry in which the UK is the envy of the world and putting culture and our creative workforce at the centre of our post-Covid economy.”