David Cameron oversees massive reshuffle of cabinet

A major reshuffle of the government cabinet from Prime Minister David Cameron is in progress...

17:39 04 September 2012

Prime Minister David Cameron has announced big changes to his government cabinet, with many high-profile politicians reshuffling roles while others have lost roles altogether. 

 

It's thought that those culled were ministers who failed to deliver promised change.

 

Of the biggest changes is Jeremy Hunt replacing Andrew Lansley as health secretary. Hunt told the BBC: "It is a huge task and the biggest privilege of my life."  

 

Lansley, who had a tough battle with his controversial NHS reforms, will now take on the role as the new Leader of the House of Commons replacing 71-year-old Sir George Young.

 

Maria Miller, MP for Basingstoke and Minister for the Disabled, replaces Mr Hunt as Culture, Media and Sport Secretary.

 

1990s Tory Chancellor Ken Clarke will also have input on the economy, by taking a new role of minister without portfolio after relinquishing the Justice Secretary portfolio. It's thought he will form a key part of the Treasury and deliver strategy over the economy.

 

Clarke's old job as Justice Secretary went to Chris Grayling, the former Employment Minister.

 

Speaking from outside his house, Clarke told the media: "I agreed with David when I arrived that I would do it for a couple of years - that was the agreement that we had when he appointed me. That's what we have stuck to and I am pleasantly surprised he's asked me to stay on the Cabinet in a different role.

 

"At my age you do occasionally have to step down from a heavy departmental role before you suddenly realise you can no longer quite handle it."

 

While the top jobs of Chancellor, Foreign Secretary and Home Secretary will remain unchanged, Cameron is thought to be ushering in a younger generation of MPs to replace older junior ministers who will be asked to step down.

 

Education Secretary Michael Gove and Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith are also holding on to their current jobs.

 

The big moves:

 

• Health Secretary Andrew Lansley replaced by Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt

 

• Lansley takes on the role as Leader of the House of Commons, succeeding Sir George Young

 

• Ken Clarke replaced as Justice Secretary by Chris Grayling

 

• Clarke is now in cabinet as Minister without Portfolio

 

• Former Chief Whip Patrick McLoughlin replaces Justine Greening as Transport Secretary, who takes over at international development which frees up International Development Secretary Andrew Mitchell to become chief whip

 

• Transport Minister Theresa Villiers becomes Northern Ireland Secretary

 

• Owen Paterson exits Northern Ireland to become Environment Secretary instead

 

• Baroness Warsi replaced as co-chair of the Conservative Party by Housing Minister Grant Shapps

 

• David Jones takes on Cheryl Gillan's role as Welsh Secretary

 

• Disability affairs minister Maria Miller becomes Culture Secretary (and equalities brief)

 

• Education Secretary Michael Gove and Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith stay. However, Smith turned down justice post

 

• Edward Garnier sent packing as Solicitor General