Rishi Sunak appoints new Cabinet

Following his appointment as Prime Minister and Leader of the Conservative Party, Rishi Sunak has begun appointing his new Cabinet and other Ministers.

Sunak’s appointments see a number of his Cabinet colleagues during Boris Johnson’s premiership return to the top table, while figures from the right of the Conservative Party, promoted under Liz Truss, have also remained in senior roles in a move believed to be an attempt at uniting the party after recent turbulence.

Returning to the Cabinet after serving under Boris Johnson include Dominic Raab as Deputy Prime Minister and Michael Gove as Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities. Key appointments under Liz Truss, including Jeremy Hunt, Suella Braverman and James Cleverly have also retained their seats at the top table of government. Ministerial appointments include:

• Jeremy Hunt MP as Chancellor of the Exchequer
• Dominica Raab MP as Secretary of State for Justice and Deputy Prime Minister
• James Cleverly MP as Foreign Secretary
• Suella Braverman MP as Home Secretary
• Grant Shapps MP as Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
• Steve Barclay MP as Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
• John Glen MP as Chief Secretary to the Treasury
• Simon Hart MP as Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury
• Michael Gove MP as Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
• Kemi Badenoch MP as Secretary of State for International Trade and President of the Board of Trade, and Minister for Women and Equalities
• Mel Stride MP as Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
• Dr Thérèse Coffey MP as Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
• Mark Harper MP as Secretary of State for Transport
• Michelle Donelan MP as Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
• Gillian Keegan MP as Secretary of State for Education
• Ben Wallace MP has been re-appointed as Secretary of State for Defence
• Victoria Prentis MP as Attorney General
• Oliver Dowden MP as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster

Financial markets appear to have reacted warmly to Rishi Sunak’s appointment yesterday, with the pound rising to a recent high of £1.16 against the dollar. A fiscal statement planned for Halloween has also been delayed following the change in Prime Minister, and is now expected to take place on November 17th along with a full financial forecast from the Office of Budget Responsibility.