Who is in Liz Truss’s new UK cabinet?

British Prime Minister Liz Truss has appointed a new cabinet hours after stepping into the top office.

British Prime Minister Liz Truss holds her first cabinet meeting at the 10 Downing Street in London
Truss holds her first cabinet meeting at 10 Downing Street in London [Jeremy Selwyn/Pool via Reuters]

The United Kingdom’s Prime Minister Liz Truss has formed a new government at the formal request of Queen Elizabeth II.

The extensive reshuffle saw 15 new faces in top government positions, while 16 members from the previous cabinet will stay in the newly formed cabinet.

The most senior cabinet members include:

Therese Coffey – health secretary, deputy prime minister

Coffey is the former work and pensions secretary who takes over from Stephen Barclay as health secretary, and will also be deputy prime minister.

She has been closely involved in Truss’s leadership campaign and previously served as environment minister, deputy leader at the House of Commons and assistant whip.

Coffey was elected MP for Suffolk Coastal in 2010.

Deputy Prime Minister and Health Secretary Therese Coffey walks outside Number 10
Deputy Prime Minister and health secretary Therese Coffey [John Sibley/Reuters]

Kwasi Kwarteng – chancellor of the exchequer

Kwarteng replaces Nadhim Zahawi, who got the job as the chancellor of the exchequer in July.

He previously served as business secretary since January 2021, when he became the first Black Conservative Party cabinet minister.

New British Chancellor of the Exchequer Kwasi Kwarteng walks outside Number 10 Downing Street
New British Chancellor of the Exchequer Kwasi Kwarteng [Toby Melville/Reuters]

James Cleverly – foreign secretary

Cleverly is appointed foreign secretary, moving on from his previous and brief stint as education secretary.

He was Conservative Party chairman under former Prime Minister Theresa May. Under former Prime Minister Boris Johnson he served as minister without portfolio before being demoted in 2020.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly walks outside Cabinet building
Foreign secretary James Cleverly [John Sibley/Reuters]

Suella Braverman – home secretary

Braverman, previously the attorney general, takes over from Priti Patel as home secretary.

She was one of the early contenders for the Conservative Party leadership race. She is a firm Brexiter and has previously suggested that to tackle the UK’s immigration “problem” is to leave the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).

Home Secretary Suella Braverman walks outside Cabinet building
Home secretary Suella Braverman [John Sibley/Reuters]

Ben Wallace – defence secretary

Wallace will keep his post as defence secretary. He has been in the office since July 2019.

Wallace is MP for Wyre and Preston North as well as a member of the Scottish Parliament.

Ben Wallace arrives at Number 10 Downing Street
Defence secretary Ben Wallace [Phil Noble/Reuters]

Brandon Lewis – justice secretary

Lewis replaces Dominic Raab as justice secretary. He previously served as the Northern Ireland secretary, party chairman and minister without portfolio.

A qualified barrister and former company director became Great Yarmouth MP in 2010.

Justice Brandon Lewis walks outside Number 10 Downing Street
Secretary of State for Justice Brandon Lewis [John Sibley/Reuters]

Kit Malthouse – education secretary

Malthouse replaces new foreign secretary James Cleverly as education secretary.

He previously served as the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, responsible for running the Cabinet Office as well as a deputy mayor of London from 2008, serving under Boris Johnson.

He became MP for North West Hampshire in 2015.

Education Secretary Kit Malthouse walks outside Number 10 Downing Street
Education Secretary Kit Malthouse [John Sibley/Reuters]

Other members of the government include:

Nadhim Zahawi – Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and equalities minister
Simon Clarke
– levelling up, housing and communities secretary
Jacob Rees-Mogg – business secretary
Kemi Badenoch – international trade secretary
Chloe Smith – work and pensions secretary
Alok Sharma – president for the 26th UN Climate Change Conference (COP26)
Ranil Jayawardena – environment secretary
Anne-Marie Trevelyan – transport secretary
Chris Heaton-Harris – Northern Ireland secretary
Alister Jack – Secretary of State for Scotland
Robert Buckland – Secretary of State for Wales
Penny Mordaunt – Leader of the House of Commons
Lord True – leader of the House of Lords
Michelle Donelan – culture secretary
Jake Berry – minister without portfolio, Conservative Party chairman
Wendy Morton – chief whip
Chris Philp – Chief Secretary to the Treasury
Michael Ellis – attorney general – the chief legal adviser to the government
Edward Argar – Paymaster General and Cabinet Office minister
Vicky Ford – development minister at the Foreign Office
Tom Tugendhat – security minister in the Home Office
James Heappey – minister for the armed forces and veterans
Graham Stuart – climate minister in the business department

INTERACTIVE - Liz Truss cabinet

Source: Al Jazeera