Jacob Rees-Mogg And Jake Berry Exit Cabinet As Rishi Sunak Prepares Reshuffle

The new prime minister is expected to appoint his new top team on Tuesday afternoon.
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Jacob Rees-Mogg has resigned from the cabinet, as Rishi Sunak began to assemble his new top team.

Sunak took over as prime minister on Tuesday morning with a promise to “fix” the “mistakes” made by his two predecessors. 

Rees-Mogg, a close ally of Boris Johnson and Liz Truss served as business secretary in the last government, was one of ten ministers shown the door.

Jake Berry, the chairman of the Conservative Party, has also left his post this afternoon.

Simon Clarke, the levelling up secretary, announced he was leaving the cabinet.

Brandon Lewis, another Johnson ally, quit as justice secretary afternoon as did education secretary Kit Malthouse. 

Chloe Smith announced she had left her job as work and pensions secretary and Robert Buckland has stood down as Welsh secretary. 

Wendy Morton, who served as chief whip during Truss’ chaotic tenure, has returned to the back benches.

Ranil Jayawardena tweeted a letter announcing his resignation as environment secretary. 

Vicky Ford has left her post as minister for development.

The new prime minister is expected to make cabinet appointments over the course of this afternoon.

Allies including former justice secretary Dominic Raab and Commons Treasury Committee chairman Mel Stride are tipped for jobs.

Jeremy Hunt, who replaced Kwasi Kwarteng as chancellor amid economic turbulence, is widely expected to remain at the top of the Treasury.

Penny Mordaunt, who failed in her leadership bid against Sunak, will be hoping for a senior job, perhaps foreign secretary.

In an attempt to unify the Conservatives in parliament, Sunak may also seek to make appointments from across the ideological spectrum of the party.