Rees-Mogg made minister for ‘Brexit opportunities’ in mini-reshuffle
Jacob Rees-Mogg is now minister for “Brexit opportunities” in the Cabinet Office after he was moved from his post as House of Commons leader in a mini-reshuffle today.
He will still attend cabinet in the newly created role, which will also include a remit to oversee “government efficiency”.
Mark Spencer, former chief whip, replaces Rees-Mogg as the leader of the House of Commons.
Daventry MP Chris Heaton-Harris is Boris Johnson’s new chief whip, after previously serving as a minister in the Foreign Office.
Number 10 first announced this morning that Boris Johnson would conduct a small reshuffle, which would see changes at a “ministerial level”.
Johnson’s official spokesman said “you can expect there will be a small number of changes to be announced this afternoon” and that the changes come after the PM expressed the need to “share portfolios”.
There had been widespread expectation in Westminster today that Spencer would be moved and that a close Johnson ally would be brought in as chief whip.
The reshuffle is a part of Johnson’s bid to reset his premiership in the wake of the partygate scandal, which has plunged Number 10 into turmoil.
“It’s a small level of ministerial changes. These are the appointments we’ve talked about before, about the need to share portfolios and you’ll see some changes there,” Johnson’s spokesman said.
“You can expect ministerial level changes. I’m not going to go guiding on cabinet and things like that.”