May appoints new vice chair for business in reshuffle
Theresa May reshuffles cabinet
Prime Minister Theresa May has named treasury minister Andrew Jones as vice chair for business engagement in her cabinet reshuffle.
The appointment has prompted Jones, who is also MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough, to resign from his role as exchequer secretary, The Guardian reports.
Two other junior ministers - Chris Skidmore, the minister for the constitution, and communities minister Marcus Jones - are also said to have left the government following their respective appointments as vice chair for policy and vice chair for local government.
A key appointment in the reshuffle is Brandon Lewis who has been made the new chairman of the Conservative party. Immigration minister Lewis replaces Patrick McLoughlin, who resigned, saying "the time is now right" for him to leave the cabinet.
The move follows a blunder by the Conservative party that saw transport secretary Chris Grayling named as chairman in a tweet that was swiftly deleted.
Following the Conservatives' humiliation at the snap election in June when the party lost their majority, Lewis will be expected to grow their popularity. He will be supported by pro-Brexit backbencher James Cleverly, who has been appointed as his deputy.
David Lidington has been appointed cabinet office minister and chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, essentially replacing Damian Green, who was sacked in December, although Lidington has not assumed the first secretary of state title.
Other appointments include Lewes MP Maria Caulfield as vice chair for women, Rehman Chishti as vice chair for communities, James Morris as vice chair for training and development, Ben Bradley as vice chair for youth and Kemi Badenoch as vice chair for candidates.
A replacement for Northern Ireland secretary James Brokenshire is expected shortly following today's announcement that he is stepping down for health reasons.
The reshuffle is set to continue into Tuesday.
