Rishi Sunak set to appoint ‘a government of all the talents’ – here’s who’s in and who’s out of PM’s new team
RISHI Sunak vowed to appoint ”a government of all the talents” last night to bring together the warring Tories — including a top job for Dominic Raab.
Jeremy Hunt is likely to remain Chancellor to try to stabilise the jittery markets - but other Cabinet ministers are set for the chop.
The PM-in-waiting will pull in Boris and Truss supporters as well as his loyal backers in a bid to repair the deeply fractured party.
Jacob Rees-Mogg, Wendy Morton and Ranil Jayawardena are all tipped for the boot.
But major jobs are expected for Rishi-loyalists such as Mr Raab, Sajid Javid, Mel Stride and John Glen.
There were fears for popular Defence Secretary Ben Wallace amid tensions over MoD spending.
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Despite being a close ally of Boris Johnson, he pledged his "full support" to Rishi — but the pair have clashed heavily in the past.
The new PM has pointedly not vowed to stick to commitments to spend three per cent of GDP on defence by 2030 - risking tensions if Mr Wallace stays.
Mr Sunak told MPs he would "unite all the talents of our party in a broad and inclusive government" - unlike his predecessor who formed a loyalty-only Cabinet which came back to bite her.
The soon-to-be PM was last night holed up with his advisers picking out the new members of his top team ahead of entering No10 today.
Rishi becomes PM: What happens next?
TUESDAY 9am: Liz Truss chairs her final Cabinet meeting and says goodbye to her top team in No10.
10.15am: Outgoing PM's favoured podium will then be wheeled out as she says farewell to the nation and sums up her short time in office with a Downing Street speech.
10.30am: Ms Truss visits the King to formally resign, followed by Rishi Sunak, who will invite him to form a new Government.
11am: Rishi Sunak will give his first speech to the nation outside the famous No10 door.
AFTERNOON: New PM and his top team will appoint his new Cabinet and start running the country.
WEDNESDAY: Rishi to go up against Sir Keir Starmer in first PMQs clash.
FRIDAY: Crunch Northern Ireland election to be declared unless new laws override it.
31 OCTOBER: New PM will decide whether to go ahead with the fiscal statement and Office for Budget Responsibility's spreadsheets, or rip it up and start again.
3 NOVEMBER: Bank of England expected to raise interest rates yet again in more mortgage hell for millions of households.
3 NOVEMBER: RMT holds fresh round of train strikes causing chaos to commuters.
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He was preparing a round of sackings as soon as this afternoon, with Mr Rees-Mogg top of the hit list having previously dubbed Mr Sunak a "socialist".
Chief Whip Ms Morton, who announced she was quitting last week amid chaotic Commons scenes before saying she would stay in post, is unlikely to stay.
And with more than two thirds of the party coming out to back him, he has more friends than enemies to choose from.
Second-place Penny Mordaunt, who failed to get the 100 MPs to get onto the ballot, was expected to be given a plum job, with supporters pushing for her to be made Foreign Secretary.
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Even former Health Secretary Matt Hancock was tipped for a comeback.
But he was left red-faced yesterday as Rishi pointedly dodged him in an awkward public snub caught live on camera.