Prime minister Boris Johnson’s new cabinet will meet for the first time on Friday following this week’s reshuffle, during which chancellor Sajid Javid and attorney general Geoffrey Cox both resigned.
Javid, who relinquishes his role just weeks prior to the March 11 Budget, refused to dispense with his team of advisers as a condition for continuing his role. He has been replaced by former chief secretary to the Treasury, Rishi Sunak.
The former chancellor said he was left with “no option” but to resign, adding that “no self-respecting minister” could accept Johnson’s conditions.
Other notable casualties include business secretary Andrea Leadsom, ex-housing minister Esther McVey and former environment secretary Theresa Villiers, while Julian Smith was relieved of his duties as secretary of state for Northern Ireland despite his role in restoring the Legislative Assembly at Stormont.
A joint team of economic advisers who will work with both the chancellor and prime minister will now be formed, but it is doubtful as to whether the Budget will go ahead in mid-March as scheduled.
A spokesman for Downing Street said: "Extensive preparations have already been carried out for the Budget and they will continue at pace.”
Some of the new faces to attend Friday’s cabinet meeting will include Geoffrey Cox’s successor Suella Braverman, new environment secretary George Eustice, new international development secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan and new chair of the Conservative party, Amanda Milling.
The majority of the more prominent cabinet members have stayed in post, including home secretary Priti Patel; foreign secretary Dominic Raab; chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Michael Gove; health secretary Matt Hancock; international trade secretary Liz Truss; transport secretary Grant Shapps; defence secretary Ben Wallace; and Leader of the Commons Jacob Rees-Mogg.
