Conservative Ministers Change In Cabinet Reshuffle

Former Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt has taken over from Andrew Lansley as Health Secretary in the first cabinet reshuffle of this government so far.

Lansley, who has failed to push through NHS reforms during his years in the job, has become the Leader of the House of Commons.

Chris Grayling has replaced Ken Clarke as Justice Secretary, while Transport Secretary Justine Greening has been moved to the international development portfolio.

Senior figures including Chancellor George Osborne, Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith and Home Secretary Theresa May are staying in their roles.

And the five Lib Dem ministers on the cabinet are keeping their positions.

Lib Dem David Laws, a former cabinet minister who resigned over his expenses two years ago, has returned as a junior education minister.

A few ministers were left with no cabinet position at all as David Cameron announced the changes between last night and today.

Caroline Spelman, Sir George Young and Edward Garnier are among those to be shown the door.

Edward Garnier, who has been sacked as Solicitor General, told the BBC the government was being "refreshed" and no minister was "entitled" to stay in the job if the prime minister wanted a change.

Baroness Warsi, who pleaded for David Cameron to keep her in the cabinet, took to Twitter at 2am to announce that she was no longer the Conservative Party co-chairman.

The only Muslim woman in the cabinet, she has been dogged recently by revelations about her expenses.

But she will stay part of the cabinet in the dual role of Foreign Office minister and minister for faith and communities.

(NE)