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As it happenedended

Cabinet reshuffle - as it happened: Theresa May's attempt at show of strength ruined by ministers refusing to be moved

How the Prime Minister's New Year's reshuffle happened

Ashley Cowburn
Political Correspondent
,Lizzy Buchan
Monday 08 January 2018 09:27 GMT
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Theresa May's cabinet reshuffle: Key positions

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Theresa May’s attempts to reassert her authority through a Cabinet reshuffle ran into difficulties after senior ministers refused to move from their jobs.

Education Secretary Justine Greening dramatically quit the Government when Ms May tried to move her to the Department of Work and Pensions, leaving the Prime Minister scrambling to promote junior ministers to her top team.

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt also spent more than 90 minutes in Downing Street where he resisted Ms May's attempts to persuade him to switch to Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and allow Business Secretary Greg Clark to take on his role.

Cabinet “big beasts” such as Boris Johnson, Philip Hammond and Amber Rudd all kept their jobs, which led to critics quoting the PM's widely mocked election campaign claim that "nothing has changed" - when she made a major U-turn on a social care pledge.

Earlier, the shake-up descended into chaos when the Conservatives’ official Twitter account accidentally put out that Transport Secretary Chris Grayling would become party chairman – before Immigration Minister Brandon Lewis was officially appointed shortly after.

Former Justice Secretary David Lidington was appointed to replace the PM's close ally Damian Green, who was sacked as the Cabinet Office minister and de facto Prime Minister last month for misleading statements over pornography found on his office computer.

A younger and more diverse team of MPs was appointed to hold various Conservative party posts, although the appointment of pro-life MP Maria Caulfield to a prominent women's role attracted controversy.

Please see the live updates below

Sir Nicholas Soames, who is Winston Churchill's grandson, appears less than impressed by the reshuffle.

Lizzy Buchan8 January 2018 21:51

Lizzy Buchan8 January 2018 21:52

New: Julian Smith will continue in his post as Chief Whip, Number 10 confirms.

Lizzy Buchan8 January 2018 21:55
Lizzy Buchan8 January 2018 22:04

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