Rees-Mogg becomes minister for Brexit opportunities in Boris Johnson reshuffle
Boris Johnson has made Jacob Rees-Mogg the new minister for “Brexit opportunities” and installed a key loyalist as his chief whip in a reshuffle intended to shore up his position following weeks of terrible headlines.
Rees-Mogg, who was Commons leader, is moved to the Cabinet Office to take on a newly created role as Brexit opportunities minister, a cabinet-level job that also includes “government efficiency”.
Chris Heaton-Harris, formerly Europe minister in the Foreign Office, takes over as chief whip from Mark Spencer. Heaton-Harris was a key member of a parallel parliamentary organisation advising the prime minister amid his recent woes.
Spencer, a trusted ally of Johnson, was widely criticised by Conservative MPs over a series of missteps, including whipping them to support the disgraced MP Owen Paterson. He has been made leader of the Commons in place of Rees-Mogg, overseeing the passage of government legislation.
Stuart Andrew, who was deputy chief whip, is moved to be minister for housing in the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, taking over from Christopher Pincher, who is expected to become a whip.
Andrew becomes the 11th housing minister in 12 years, a continual churn that housing groups have argued means the sector is not properly considered by government.
The changes come amid a wider shake-up of the team around Johnson, as the prime minister seeks to reassure mutinous Tory MPs, worried about alleged lockdown-breaking parties that are being investigated by police.
Last Thursday, four senior No 10 aides quit or were pushed out: Johnson’s longstanding policy chief, Munira Mirza; Dan Rosenfield, his chief of staff; Martin Reynolds, his principal private secretary, and his director of communications,
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