Rishi Sunak’s new cabinet: Who got the top jobs in reshuffle including how Penny Mordaunt fared

New Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has announced who will be in his cabinet following his transition into number 10. Mr Sunak was confirmed as leader of the Conservative party on Monday (October 24) when his closest rival Penny Mordaunt dropped out of the race. Before announcing his cabinet, Mr Sunak said that he wanted to create a cabinet of “all the talents”.

In his first speech as prime minister outside 10 Downing Street, Mr Sunak paid tribute to his predecessor Liz Truss, but added that “some mistakes were made”. He went on to say "I have been made the leader of the party and your prime minister, in part, to fix them, and that work begins now."

Before any announcements, former Foreign Secretary James Cleverly told Sky News the decision of who is selected for one the cabinet positions should feature the best ministers available rather than looking at those who have been loyal to the new PM. To say that the Sunak camp are keeping any reshuffle murmurings to a bare minimum would certainly be an understatement.

Shortly before the reshuffle was underway, Jacob Rees-Mogg resigned as business secretary having earlier admitted he didn’t expect to be given a position. Brandon Lewis, who was justice secretary, also resigned from his role.

Despite what Mr Cleverly said, we can see that some of the appointments made reflect the support given to Sunak by Conservative MP’s. Some of the announcements from the cabinet reshuffle were to be expected, and here’s how the Rishi Sunak government now looks.

Chancellor - Jeremy Hunt

In perhaps the least surprising part of the reshuffle, chancellor Jeremy Hunt remains unshuffled. The former health secretary stayed in his current role having only held it for less than two weeks.

Home secretary - Suella Braverman

Less than a week after she quit for breaching the ministerial code by sending classified documents from her personal email, Suella Braverman has been appointed as home secretary. She is on the right wing of the party and has previously expressed her keenness to ramp up the Rwanda immigration plans.

Foreign secretary - James Cleverly

Despite being a Liz Truss supporter, James Cleverly has been reappointed as Foreign Secretary. He was appointed by the former PM and has been kept on to continue his work in the foreign office.

Defence secretary - Ben Wallace

Despite his keenness to maintain defence spending at three percent of GDP, something Rishi Sunak is less than keen on, Ben Wallace has kept his position as secretary of defence. Mr Wallace held the position through the Johnson premiership and the short-lived stay of Liz Truss in number 10.

Commons leader- Penny Mordaunt

Although tipped for a promotion, Mordaunt will return to the commons in a role she held under both Boris Johnson and Liz Truss. It feels as though she may not rule herself out of any future leadership races, either.

Deputy prime minister and justice secretary- Dominic Raab

A loyal supporter of Sunak, Dominic Raab has returned to the cabinet with the two positions he last held under Boris Johnson. Raab led the country during the time that Boris Johnson was hospitalised with coronavirus back in 2020.

Business secretary- Grant Shapps

Following a short and sweet spell as home secretary during the six days Braverman was away, Grant Shapps has been handed the role of business secretary. The former transport minister is also a supporter of Rishi Sunak.

Housing and communities secretary - Michael Gove

Three months since he last held the job, Michael Gove has been handed back his role as levelling up secretary. Gove was an outspoken critic of the government during his time on the back benches, and now he is back in the fold.

Health secretary - Steve Barclay

Steve Barclay replaces Therese Coffey as the health secretary. Barclay was one of the ministers who held the role as Brexit secretary. He did so under the premiership of Theresa May.

Environment secretary - Therese Coffey

Making way for Barclay at the Health department is These Coffey. Her brief stint in this job has been followed up with her being given the role of Environment secretary.

Education secretary - Gillian Keegan

The appointment to Education secretary is the first in her career for Gillian Keegan. She becomes the fifth person to hold the position in little over a year. Under Boris Johnson, she was the parliamentary under-secretary for apprenticeships and skills.

International trade secretary - Kemi Badenoch

Former leadership candidate Kemi Badenoch has been given the position of international trade secretary, a role she held before the reshuffle. She is also the minister for women and equalities and was given her first cabinet position by Liz Truss.

Chief whip - Simon Hart

The former Welsh secretary is known to be popular with other MP’s and has been given the role of chief whip. The chief whip is responsible for directing MPs on how to vote in the commons.

Work and pensions secretary - Mel Stride

Mel Stride has been given a promotion into the cabinet through the reshuffle. The move is unsurprising considering Stride ran Sunak’s leadership campaign for him.

Chairman- Nadhim Zahawi

Nadhim Zahawi replaces Jake Berry as chairman of the party. Zahawi served as a vaccines minister and education secretary under Mr Johnson, and he was made Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster under Ms Truss.

Culture secretary - Michelle Donelan

Donelan keeps her role as culture secretary following the reshuffle. This is a role she was given by Boris Johnson following the resignation of Nadine Dorries.

Northern Ireland secretary - Chris Heaton-Harris

Another minister keeping the same cabinet job as they held in the previous government is the Northern Ireland secretary. Heaton-Harris was handed the role by Truss at the start of September.

Scotland secretary - Alister Jack

One of the more long term secretaries within the government, Jack keeps the role he has held since 2019.

Wales secretary - David TC Davies

Davies has been given a promotion to secretary for Wales. Since 2019, he has been the minister for Wales. He has been the MP for Monmouth since 2005.

Oliver Dowden has been given the role which will see him be a key ally of the PM within the cabinet office. Formerly chairman of the party, Dowden is a close political friend of Sunak’s.