New UK PM Rishi Sunak appoints Cabinet, retains finance, foreign and defence ministers

New Delhi: Rishi Sunak on Tuesday appointed a new Cabinet hours after he officially became the prime minister of the UK.

He picked Dominic Raab as deputy PM. Notably, Suella Braverman whose resignation as the home minister hastened Liz Truss’ downfall has made a comeback to the post in Sunak Cabinet.

During her stint under Truss, Braverman made a controversial remark that “Indian migrants overstay in the UK.”

While there were several new entrants, leaders holding key ministries retained their posts.

Sunak retained James Cleverly as foreign secretary and Ben Wallace as defence secretary. Jeremy Hunt who was appointed by Sunak’s predecessor Liz Truss continues to be the finance minister.

Honoured to serve our country, and @RishiSunak, as Chancellor of the Exchequer.

It is going to be tough. But protecting the vulnerable – and people’s jobs, mortgages and bills – will be at the front of our minds as we work to restore stability, confidence and long-term growth. pic.twitter.com/8eGecW677t

— Jeremy Hunt (@Jeremy_Hunt) October 25, 2022

Notably, both Cleverly and Wallace had backed Boris Johnson’s bid to return as the PM. Hunt, appointed by Sunak’s predecessor Liz Truss just 11 days ago in a futile bid to salvage her premiership, has succeeded in stabilising tumultuous markets in his short tenure, AFP reported.

Penny Mordaunt, Sunak’s rival in the Tory leadership race has been reappointed as Leader of the House of Commons. Indian-origin minister Alok Sharma lost his post in the reshuffle.

Sunak’s decision to retain several ministers from the previous government shows that he’s aiming for a smooth transition.

42-year-old Sunak became UK’s first Indian-origin, as well as the first Hindu PM, after winning the ruling Conservative Party’s leadership contest on Monday.

Sunak vows to fix Truss’ ‘mistakes’

Addressing the nation in Downing Street Tuesday shortly after his appointment by King Charles III, Sunak said the country faced “profound economic crisis”. 

“I will unite our country — not with words, but with action,” Sunak said, capping the latest extraordinary twist in UK politics following Boris Johnson’s demise in July.

Departing shortly before, Truss wished him “every success” — and said she remained “more convinced than ever” that Britain needed to be “bold” in confronting the challenges it faced.

Sunak countered that though she was motivated by a well-intentioned desire to kick-start growth, her tax-cutting measures were “mistakes nonetheless”.

With inputs from agencies

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