Rishi Sunak is being urged to overhaul the cabinet on his first day as prime minister.
Foreign Secretary James Cleverly told Sky News the Prime Minister’s new government should have the best ministers available – instead of focusing on loyalists.
“We have to have the first 15 on the pitch. I know that Rishi understands that,” Mr. Cleverly said.
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Challenges Sunak faces as PM
Mr Sunak’s team is keeping quiet about any potential reshuffle – but Sky News understands that recently appointed Prime Minister Jeremy Hunt is likely to continue his job.
The new Prime Minister will be formally appointed by King Charles this morning, and will give a public address to Number 10 before lunchtime.
Sky News will cover Mr. Sunak’s first day in full coverage – and you can find out more details about today’s important time here.
Reports suggest he is planning to build an “all-talented” cabinet that will see the political return of the “adults”.
Mr Sunak’s longtime supporters – including former justice secretary Dominic Raab, Commons treasury committee chair Mel Stride and former whip director Mark Harper – are expected to be in the cabinet, as well as the cabinet. Former party chairman Oliver Dowden.
Many of the top positions are expected to go to those who have consistently supported him – including when he lost to Ms Truss in the Conservative Party leadership race that began three months ago.
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Three o’clock in three months: Timeline
Newly appointed Home Secretary Grant Shapps hopes to keep his job after backing Mr Sunak both in July and in recent days.
Mr Hunt is expected to stay at Number 11 as he works towards a much-anticipated financial statement on Halloween, as part of an effort to stabilize volatile markets.
But another source on the new Prime Minister’s council told Sky News that discussions were still going on – and warned that no decision had been made yet.
And Penny Mordaunt – who withdrew from the race after failing to secure the required 100 nominations from Tory MPs – could also get some form of promotion.
There has been speculation that she could replace Mr Cleverly in the State Department, and a source close to Ms Mordaunt has told Sky News she would like to be offered the role.
Suella Braverman and Kemi Badenoch – favorites by Conservative members of the party’s right – are also hoping to serve on Mr Sunak’s top team after endorsing his latest campaign.
Veteran cabinet minister Michael Gove – who was fired as promotion secretary during the dying days of the Johnson government – and former defense secretary Gavin Williamson are other senior supporters of the Sunak campaign, who can be rewarded.
Read more:
Who is Rishi Sunak? The UK’s first Asian-British Prime Minister
Sunak v Starmer – How do they appreciate in the eyes of the voter?
Beth Rigby: Can the new PM fix and reunite the Tories?
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Tories ‘cannot continue to ignore the PM’
‘Unity or die’
Mr Sunak will become the country’s first Hindu leader and the UK’s youngest prime minister in modern political history – beating all of his predecessors except William Pitt the Younger, who was only 24 years old when he took office in 1783.
42 years old only became an MP in 2015 and has quickly risen to the top.
Addressing Tory politicians yesterday, he acknowledged the “profound economic challenge” the country is currently facing – and reportedly said the party must “unite or die” as they focus on implementation of public priorities.
Now he has the daunting task of steering the country through a crisis exacerbated by the disastrously small budget of Ms Truss’ government, which has sent the pound to a record low.
Last week, she resigned after just 44 days in office.
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Challenges Sunak faces as PM
In his 86-second address to the nation yesterday afternoon, Mr. Sunak promised to serve with “integrity and humility” and praised Ms. Truss for serving in “particularly difficult circumstances”.
Lancaster Prime Minister Nadhim Zahawi said Mr Sunak’s appointment as prime minister proves “the UK is a place where you can achieve amazing things”.
But opposition parties have reiterated their call for an immediate general election – insisting that Mr Sunak has “no mandate” to govern.
Shadow Health Secretary Wes Streeting has said that “the public is calling for a voice”, adding: “The Conservative Party is a sclerotic mess.
“They’re in turmoil and who dares to say Rishi Sunak won’t be out in six months time because you can hear the grinding in Westminster of disgruntled Borisites… who still think Rishi slashed Boris Johnson after back.”
