Who are the ministers in Britain’s new cabinet?

New British Prime Minister Theresa May wasted no time in naming her top team, including former London mayor Boris Johnson

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New British Prime Minister Theresa May took office on Wednesday and wasted no time in naming her top team, including former London mayor Boris Johnson, who was appointed foreign minister.

Here are the appointments so far:

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Chancellor of the Exchequer (finance minister): Philip Hammond

British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond speaks during an international security summit in Manama, Bahrain, Saturday, Oct. 31, 2015. (Reuters)
British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond speaks during an international security summit in Manama, Bahrain, Saturday, Oct. 31, 2015. (Reuters)

Britain’s new finance minister said on Thursday that he would do whatever is necessary to steady the economy and give confidence to the financial markets after Britons voted to leave the European Union.

“Markets do need signals of reassurance, they need to know that we will do whatever is necessary to keep the economy on track,” Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond, who until Wednesday was foreign minister, told ITV.

He was promoted to the Shadow Cabinet by David Cameron in 2005 as Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, remaining in this position until a 2007 reshuffle. Upon the resignation of Liam Fox over a scandal in October 2011, Hammond was promoted to Secretary of State for Defence and, in July 2014, he became Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs.

During a special interview with Al Arabiya English Editor-in-Chief Faisal J. Abbas, Hammond emphasized that the British-Saudi relationship is “deep rooted and broad-ranging.”

Foreign Secretary: Boris Johnson

Boris Johnson. (Reuters)
Boris Johnson. (Reuters)

Boris Johnson, Britain’s most colourful politician with a long record of gaffes and scandals, was appointed as foreign secretary on Wednesday in a surprise move by new Prime Minister Theresa May that could shake up world diplomacy.

The former London mayor, who has never previously held a cabinet post and is known for his undiplomatic language, was the most prominent figure in the campaign for Britain to leave the European Union that culminated in a vote for ‘Brexit’ on June 23.

The appointment of a man who in the run-up to the referendum compared the goals of the EU with those of Adolf Hitler and Napoleon is likely to cause consternation in European capitals

Home Secretary (interior minister): Amber Rudd

Amber Rudd. (AFP)
Amber Rudd. (AFP)

Amber Rudd, a former British energy minister, was appointed as interior minister on Wednesday, a role which will make her a key player in the country’s approach to immigration under new Prime Minister Theresa May.

Rudd, who succeeds May in charge of the Home Office, became a lawmaker in 2010 and served as parliamentary private secretary to former finance minister George Osborne from 2012 to 2013 before joining the department for energy and climate change where she was promoted to minister in 2015.

She was a high-profile campaigner for the losing “Remain” camp in last month’s European Union membership referendum.

Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union: David Davis

David Davis. (AFP)
David Davis. (AFP)

David Davis, a staunchly Eurosceptic lawmaker who says the risk of losing a key export partner will force EU leaders such as Angela Merkel to agree to a free trade deal, was appointed as the man to lead Britain out of the bloc on Wednesday.

Davis, 67, was given the newly-created role of Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union by incoming British Prime Minister Theresa May as she set about building her team just hours after taking over from David Cameron.

Defense Secretary: Michael Fallon

Michael Fallon. (Reuters)
Michael Fallon. (Reuters)

British defense minister Michael Fallon will retain his post in Prime Minister Theresa May’s new cabinet, her office said on Wednesday.

Fallon has served as defense minister since July 2014.

Secretary of State for International Trade: Liam Fox

Liam Fox. (Reuters)
Liam Fox. (Reuters)

British Prime Minister Theresa May appointed Liam Fox, a pro-Brexit campaigner, as the minister for international trade on Wednesday, her office said.

He will be in charge of forging new international trade deals after Britain voted to leave the European Union. Fox, 54, has previously held a string of senior positions in government.

He was defense minister from 2010 to 2011 and was previously a minister in the foreign office and held other government roles.

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