Rishi Sunak reshuffle: Braverman named home secretary, Gove returns as levelling up secretary, Mordaunt not promoted – live
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Suella Braverman returns as home secretary
Downing Street has announced Suella Braverman’s reappointment as home secretary, less than a week after she was forced to resign from the role.
Braverman, a leading rightwinger, was sacked by Liz Truss last Wednesday because she sent an official document from her personal email to a fellow MP, in a serious breach of ministerial rules.
Updated at 12.07 EDT
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Evening summary
Good evening and thank you for reading today’s live coverage of the appointment of the UK’s third prime minister in as many months, Rishi Sunak.
My name is Charlie Moloney and I have taken you through the last few hours of updates. We are closing the blog now but here is a summary of some of the most significant UK leadership news from today:
Suella Braverman returned as home secretary. Downing Street announced her reappointment as home secretary, less than a week after she was forced to resign from the role.
Sunak’s leadership rival Penny Mordaunt has been reappointed Commons leader. Downing Street said Mordaunt would be lord president of the council and leader of the House of Commons.
Jacob Rees-Mogg resigned as business secretary by sending Sunak a handwritten note. The so-called Member for the 18th Century dated the letter “St Crispin’s Day”.
Rishi Sunak said he has spoken with Mark Drakeford and Nicola Sturgeon. Scotland’s first minister confirmed she had spoken to Rishi Sunak in what she said was a “constructive call”.
Rishi Sunak and Joe Biden discussed the war in Ukraine during a call on Tuesday evening, as the US president called the UK his country’s “closest ally”.
Updated at 18.39 EDT
Tory MP Richard Holden said that Rishi Sunak would “fix’’ the “damage done’’ by Liz Truss’s government and promised an end to the political turmoil of recent weeks.
He told BBC Newsnight: “Undoubtedly damage has been done, but we’ve got to fix that.
“We’ve got to fix that as quickly as possible. And that’s exactly what Rishi is doing tonight.
“And I think with a cabinet which can provide economic credibility, it can provide competence and it can provide unity. That’s the best thing to do. Because all of those things actually play back in a positive feedback loop with the financial markets. When they see instability, then you have a bigger problem, and then it feeds back on itself in the parliamentary party.’’
He continued: “He’ll be able to get his legislation through parliament. You won’t see any further political turmoil.’’
Updated at 18.14 EDT
Joe Biden says the UK remains his country’s ‘closest ally’ in call with Rishi Sunak
Rishi Sunak and Joe Biden discussed the war in Ukraine during a call on Tuesday evening, as the US president called the UK his country’s “closest ally”.
A Downing Street spokesperson told PA Media that Biden congratulated Sunak on his appointment, adding that “the leaders looked forward to working closely together”.
Relations between the two countries have been somewhat strained in recent years amid ongoing UK-EU tensions over post-Brexit arrangements in Northern Ireland, with White House concerns over the impact on peace in the region.
The issue appears to have come up in the call, according to details released by Downing Street, as well as the war in Ukraine and the rising power of China.
The spokesperson said: “President Biden congratulated the prime minister on his appointment and the leaders looked forward to working closely together. President Biden said that the UK remains America’s closest ally, and the prime minister agreed on the huge strength of the relationship.”
President Joe Biden has spoken to prime minister Rishi Sunak and said the UK remains the ‘closest ally’ of the US. Photograph: White House/ZUMA Press Wire Service/REX/Shutterstock
Updated at 18.05 EDT
Nicola Sturgeon confirmed she had spoken to Rishi Sunak in what she said was a “constructive call”. Scotland’s first minister had previously complained after not receiving a call from Liz Truss more than a month after she became prime minister, describing the situation as “absurd” and “unprecedented”.
Cabinet reflects ‘a unified party’, No 10 says as reshuffle concludes
As Rishi Sunak concluded his reshuffle, a No 10 source told PA Media: “This cabinet brings the talents of the party together.
“It reflects a unified party and a cabinet with significant experience, ensuring that at this uncertain time there is continuity at the heart of government.
“The hard work begins now and together, the prime minister’s new cabinet will deliver for the British people.”
Updated at 18.08 EDT
Rishi Sunak said he has spoken with Mark Drakeford and Nicola Sturgeon. The prime minister said he “emphasised our duty to work closely together”.
Updated at 17.07 EDT
Johnny Mercer has said his determination to help veterans “remains unbowed” as he returned as veterans’ minister.
Green MP Caroline Lucas has criticised the appointment of Thérèse Coffey as environment secretary. The MP for Brighton Pavilion accused Coffey of making reckless comments in her previous role as health secretary.
Updated at 18.06 EDT
Rishi Sunak has said that he has spoken to the Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky this evening, as he pledged to continue supporting Ukraine as prime minister.
Updated at 18.08 EDT
Andrew Mitchell appointed development minister
The newly reappointed home secretary Suella Braverman has said she was honoured to join Rishi Sunak’s cabinet.
Updated at 18.09 EDT
Robert Jenrick appointed immigration minister Gavin Williamson becomes minister without portfolio Tom Tugendhat appointed security minister
Rishi Sunak will speak to Scotland’s first minister Nicola Sturgeon this evening, a Scottish government spokesperson has confirmed.
Sturgeon previously claimed that she did not hear from Sunak’s predecessor, Liz Truss, even once during her time as prime minister.
Updated at 18.09 EDT
The outgoing transport secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan has offered her congratulations to her successor Mark Harper.