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
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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
Downing Street confirms David Davis will remain Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union - no surprise here.
Jeremy Hunt has his NHS badge on as he enters Downing Street. During May's first reshuffle in 2016, he wasn't wearing the badge upon entering the street - but was on the way out.
Sajid Javid MP becomes the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government. The only thing that's changed here, is putting "housing" in his title.
Boris Johnson remains Foreign Secretary, Downing Street confirms.
This is from the Press Association on the big Cabinet posts - all of which have remained the same.
Theresa May has kept the biggest beasts in her Cabinet in post in a reshuffle forced by the resignation of Damian Green after he admitted lying over pornography on his office computer.
Former justice secretary David Lidington was appointed to Mr Green's old position of Minister for the Cabinet Office, but did not inherit the title of First Secretary of State which marked Mrs May's long-time friend and ally as her effective deputy.
It is understood that Mrs May does not intend to appoint a first secretary of state in what is expected to be her biggest reshuffle since taking office in 2016.
Downing Street confirmed Chancellor Philip Hammond, Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, Home Secretary Amber Rudd and Brexit Secretary David Davis are all keeping their current jobs.
But Northern Ireland Secretary James Brokenshire has resigned from the Cabinet on grounds of ill-health, just weeks ahead of major surgery for a lesion on his right lung.
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