Gosport MP Caroline Dinenage sacked as culture minister as Boris Johnson shakes-up his top team

The Gosport MP was appointed as the culture minister by the PM in February 2020, having previously been a health minister.

Nadine Dorries, a best-selling author and former star of I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here, becomes culture secretary in what critics perceived as a move by Mr Johnson to ramp up the so-called ‘culture war’/

Taking to Twitter this evening, Ms Dinenage said: ‘Congratulations @NadineDorries who’ll be a star @DCMS. It’s been a joy to work in such a great department for the last 19 months, with such dedicated & professional teams, not least #CultureRecoveryFund & #OnlineSafetyBill. After 6 years as a Minister I’m off to the back-benches!’

The reshuffle has seen Liz Truss being appointed foreign secretary while Dominic Raab was demoted and Gavin Williamson sacked.

Following widespread criticism of his handling of the Afghanistan crisis, Mr Raab was moved from the Foreign Office to become justice secretary but, while he was also handed the title of deputy prime minister, he was clearly moved down the hierarchy.

Two of the great offices of state are now held by women after Ms Truss was promoted during Wednesday’s reshuffle and Priti Patel kept her role of home secretary despite speculation she would be sacked.

While Mr Raab retains his seat at the cabinet table, the PM sacked Mr Williamson, Robert Jenrick and Robert Buckland.

Mr Williamson’s ousting after extensive criticism over his handling of the coronavirus crisis in schools paved the way for Nadhim Zahawi to be promoted to education secretary from his role as vaccines minister.

Not only did Mr Gove succeed Mr Jenrick as housing secretary but the PM entrusted him with a further key position in the post-coronavirus agenda by handing him responsibility for ‘levelling up’ while maintaining his role trying to ward off Scottish independence.

Meanwhile, Amanda Milling was ousted as Tory party co-chairwoman just weeks before the Conservative conference.

Oliver Dowden moves from culture secretary to replace Ms Milling as co-chairman of the Tory Party, as well as holding the title minister without portfolio.

Bognor Regis and Littlehampton MP Nick Gibb has been sacked from his role as schools minister.

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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