As it happened: Jeremy Hunt replaces Boris Johnson as foreign secretary following shock departure
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Boris Johnson has been replaced as foreign secretary by Jeremy Hunt following the former London mayor's shock resignation from the cabinet over Theresa May's Brexit strategy.
The long-serving health secretary was summoned to Downing Street at the end of a dramatic 24 hours, which saw the resignations of Mr Johnson and Brexit secretary David Davis - both prominent Eurosceptics - and junior Brexit minister Steve Baker.
Matt Hancock has been appointed as the new health secretary, while former attorney general Jeremy Wright has replaced Mr Hancock at the department for digital, culture, media and sport.
A Downing Street spokesman said: "This afternoon, the prime minister accepted the resignation of Boris Johnson as foreign secretary.
See below for live updates
"His replacement will be announced shortly. The prime minister thanks Boris for his work.”
It comes after David Davis resigned as the Brexit secretary after a major row with the prime minister over plans for the future UK-EU relationship.
Whitehall sources are suggesting Michael Gove, the current environment secretary, is seen as the frontrunner to succeed David Davis as Brexit secretary. Downing Street are expected to announce later this morning.
The chairman of the 1922 Committee of Conservative backbenchers, Sir Graham Brady, declined to comment on whether he had received any letters from MPs calling for a no confidence vote in Mrs May.
Sir Graham told the Press Association: "My view ever since I became chairman of the '22 is that it would be entirely improper ever to comment in any way on that subject, because inevitably a commentary could influence the course of events."
"No comment will be made by the '22 unless and until the 48 letters required to trigger a vote are received," he said.
European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker spoke to Ms May on Sunday about the Chequers plan, a spokesman in Brussels said.
He told reporters the EU would "continue to negotiate in good faith" with the prime minister following the resignation of Mr Davis.
On Sky News, Conservative MP Andrew Bridgen says Labour has had "more positions on Europe than the Kama Sutra".
The European Commission's chief spokesman said the resignation of Mr Davis would not hit the talks.
Asked if it was a problem, he replied: "Not for us. We are here to work."
Responding to Dominic Raab's appointment, Carolyn Fairbairn, the CBI Director-General, said: “The CBI welcomes Dominic Raab as the new Secretary of State at the Department for Exiting the European Union. There’s a tough job ahead and business is ready and willing to support him and his team at DExEU deliver a good Brexit at such a critical time for the country.
“Proposals unveiled last week gave a genuine confidence boost to businesses struggling with uncertainty, yet the devil will be in the detail. The White Paper therefore needs to deliver confidence for the UK’s world-leading services sector, as well as goods.
“Meanwhile, Europe’s leaders must approach the UK’s proposals with an open mind and flexibility, putting jobs and economic growth at the heart of a future deal that delivers for both sides.”
At the daily briefing for journalists, Theresa May’s spokesman tried to play down the impact of Mr Davis’ resignation, insisting the cabinet had agreed the new plan at Chequers which would go ahead.
The white paper is likely to be published on Thursday, when it is “completed”, the spokesman said.
He insisted nothing suspicious in the delay – arguing it was imply a process of turning the documents agreed on Friday into a fully-fledged white paper.
The spokesman said “it’s now for the EU to move”, although he declined to say it represented the government’s “final position” – which would rule out any further concessions to Brussels.
He also did little to disguise that it is No 10 in firm control of the negotiations. Asked about Mr Raab’s role, he suggested it would be domestic – pointing to the “huge body of work to be done in terms of preparing for the UK to leave the EU and that includes no deal”.
The spokesman also faced questions about Mr Raab’s position as an arch-Brexiteer, including as a founding member of the Leave Means Leave group – which called the Chequers deal “a betrayal”.
“The government’s position was agreed on Friday and the prime minister is looking forward to working with Dominic Raab to deliver Brexit,” he insisted.
Asked about Mr Raab’s past calls to rip up workers’ rights obtained through EU membership, he dismissed any suggestion of controversy, saying: “The government has a position on those things.”
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