The UK's new Prime Minister, Liz Truss, has appointed East Lancashire MP Jake Berry as the new Tory Party Chair, replacing a colleague also from the region.

Mr Berry, MP for Rossendale and Darwen, will be able to sit in the newly formed Cabinet after being announced as Minister Without Portfolio last night.

The position allows the governing party's chair to sit in cabinet meetings.

Mr Berry replaces MP for Pendle, Andrew Stephenson, who was appointed the role by Boris Johnson at the start of the summer following a swathe of resignations which forced Johnson out of No.10, serving less than two months.

Truss-backing Mr Berry, who is chair of the Northern Research Group of Tory MPs, returns to Government after a two-year absence.

 

Ben Wallace, MP for Wyre and Preston North, will continue in the role of Defence Secretary, as he plays a vital role in supporting Volodymyr Zelensky in Ukraine’s fight against Vladimir Putin’s invasion.

Congratulating Liz Truss on her rise to Prime Minister, before his appointment, Mr Berry said: "And with that, comes the end of Boris Johnson’s time as Prime Minister and the start of Liz Truss.

"I have never hidden my admiration for Boris and am proud to have served in his Government.

"However, having known Liz for many years, I know she is going to do a brilliant job of leading our country. She's also a friend of our area, as you can see from the photo below on one of her visits to Rossendale back in 2014.

Lancashire Telegraph: Jake Berry and Liz Truss in Rossendale in 2014Jake Berry and Liz Truss in Rossendale in 2014 (Image: Jake Berry)

"The present situation is one of the toughest an incoming Prime Minister has faced in my lifetime, but I know with the determination and delivery Liz Truss has shown throughout her career, she is the best person to lead us through the coming years."

Posting on Twitter after he was ousted from his role, Pendle MP Andrew Stephenson said: "Thanks to the brilliant hard working team at Conservatives Central Office.

"It's been an honour to be Party Chairman during the leadership contest and to campaign in 87 different seats. Best of luck to my successor!"

In a major cabinet reshuffle following her appointment as PM, Liz Truss also rewarded close allies Kwasi Kwarteng and Lancashire-born Therese Coffey with top Cabinet jobs as she culled a number of prominent Rishi Sunak supporters.

Mr Kwarteng becomes the new Chancellor and Ms Coffey is Deputy Prime Minister and Health Secretary, while she made James Cleverly her successor as Foreign Secretary on Tuesday.

Former attorney general Suella Braverman was appointed Home Secretary, meaning that for the first time in history none of the great offices of state are held by white men.

Jacob Rees-Mogg, the hardline Brexiteer who has decried “climate alarmism”, was appointed as Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.

Among those ousted from the front bench were Dominic Raab, Grant Shapps, George Eustice and Steve Barclay.

Ms Coffey, the former work and pensions secretary who is regarded as the Prime Minister’s closest friend in Westminster, replaced Mr Raab as the second in command after he described Ms Truss’s tax plans as an “electoral suicide note”.

And she took on Mr Barclay’s health brief after he too came out in support for Rishi Sunak.

Mr Kwarteng, a long-term ally of Ms Truss’s, entered the Treasury to replace Nadhim Zahawi, who was appointed Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster in the Cabinet Office after his doomed attempt at the leadership.

Kemi Badenoch was made International Trade Secretary, while Brandon Lewis replaced Mr Raab as Justice Secretary, and Kit Malthouse was made Education Secretary.

Simon Clarke, who played a key role in the Truss campaign, was promoted from being a Treasury minister to Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Secretary, while Chloe Smith became Work and Pensions Secretary.

Penny Mordaunt, who failed in her bid at the top job before backing Truss, was appointed Leader of the House of Commons.

Fellow former leadership contender Tom Tugendhat got his first Government job, attending Cabinet as a security minister.

Former transport minister Wendy Morton will attend Cabinet as chief whip, making her responsible for party discipline in the Commons, while former international trade secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan takes on the transport brief, and Ranil Jayawardena is the new environment secretary.

Former chief whip Chris Heaton-Harris was appointed Northern Ireland Secretary, while Michelle Donelan, who spent 36 hours as Mr Johnson’s education secretary before resigning in his final hours, takes on the culture secretary role.

Both Jake Berry MP and Andrew Stephenson MP have been approached for comment.