Boris Johnson lays groundwork for general election with ruthless reshuffle |
Boris Johnson has laid the groundwork for the next general election with a ruthless cabinet reshuffle, designed to clear out failing ministers and hand Michael Gove the key job of making “levelling up” a reality for sceptical voters.
On a day of dramatic developments in Westminster, Johnson sacked three cabinet ministers including the gaffe-prone education secretary Gavin Williamson, and shifted Dominic Raab from the Foreign Office to the Ministry of Justice. Liz Truss, the media-savvy darling of Conservative grassroots members and champion of free markets, will replace Raab as foreign secretary.
Johnson kicked off the reshuffle by inviting ministers set to be sacked or sidelined to his House of Commons office, as MPs began a debate called by Labour over the £20-a-week cut to universal credit coming into effect next month.
Williamson had been widely expected to be offered an alternative role – perhaps his old post as chief whip – but was instead dispatched straight to the backbenches.
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