Historic First: No Whiite Men Appointed to Top UK Cabinet Posts

Liz Truss became prime minister on 6 September 2022, replacing Boris Johnson who was in post for slightly more than three years.

Thérèse Coffey has been appointed health secretary, taking over from Stephen Barclay who had only been in the role for two months, and will also be deputy prime minister.

Kwasi Kwarteng, a key ally of Liz Truss, has been appointed chancellor, replacing Nadhim Zahawi who only took the role after Rishi Sunak resigned in July.

James Cleverly has become foreign secretary, taking over the new prime minister’s former department.

Suella Braverman is one of the big winners in Liz Truss’s first cabinet, replacing Priti Patel as home secretary.

Ben Wallace remains defence secretary, a post he has held since July 2019 and in which he has earned praise for his response to the Ukraine crisis.

Nadhim Zahawi has been named chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster – responsible for running the Cabinet Office, the department that supports the prime minister.

Simon Clarke has been promoted to the full cabinet as levelling up, housing and communities secretary, taking over from Greg Clark, who replaced Michael Gove in July.

Jacob Rees-Mogg has been given the role of business secretary after being one of the first MPs to back Liz Truss for the leadership.

Kemi Badenoch has entered the cabinet as international trade secretary after surprising many by reaching the last four in the leadership contest.

Chloe Smith replaces new Health Secretary Thérèse Coffey as work and pensions secretary.

Alok Sharma will stay on as president for COP26, the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference, working in the Cabinet Office.

Brandon Lewis is in the cabinet for a third time, this time in the role of justice secretary, replacing Dominic Raab.

Kit Malthouse replaces new Foreign Secretary James Cleverly as education secretary.

Ranil Jayawardena has become environment secretary, taking over from George Eustice.

Anne-Marie Trevelyan has become transport secretary, replacing Grant Shapps.

Chris Heaton-Harris has been promoted to the cabinet as Northern Ireland secretary, replacing Shailesh Vara who only took on the role in July.

Alister Jack remains secretary of state for Scotland in Liz Truss’s first cabinet, a role he has held since Boris Johnson became prime minister in 2019.

Robert Buckland remains secretary of state for Wales, continuing in the role he took on after Simon Hart’s resignation in July.

Penny Mordaunt has returned to the cabinet as leader of the House of Commons, responsible for delivery of the government’s legislative programme, replacing Mark Spencer.

Lord True has been named leader of the House of Lords, responsible for delivery of the government’s legislative programme in the Upper House.

Michelle Donelan has been appointed culture secretary, giving her a second chance to make her mark in cabinet following her resignation two days into the job of education secretary in July.

Jake Berry has joined the cabinet as minister without portfolio and is also Conservative party chairman, responsible for party administration and campaigning, replacing Andrew Stephenson.

Wendy Morton has been appointed chief whip, responsible for party discipline and ensuring Conservative MPs vote along party lines, and will attend cabinet.

Chris Philp has been appointed chief secretary to the Treasury, attending cabinet, and takes over from new Levelling Up Secretary Simon Clarke.

Michael Ellis has been appointed attorney general – the chief legal adviser to the government – and can attend cabinet.

Edward Argar will attend cabinet after being named paymaster general and Cabinet Office minister, replacing new Attorney General Michael Ellis.

Vicky Ford has become development minister at the Foreign Office and will attend cabinet.

Tom Tugendhat will attend cabinet as security minister in the Home Office, after reaching the final five in the Conservative leadership race before endorsing Liz Truss.

James Heappey will be minister for the armed forces and veterans in the Ministry of Defence.

Graham Stuart has become climate minister in the business department and will also attend cabinet.