As it happened: Jeremy Hunt replaces Boris Johnson as foreign secretary following shock departure

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David Davis quits as Brexit Secretary

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.

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"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.

Key Points

• Boris Johnson follows David Davis out of government in second cabinet resignation
• Boris Johnson: Seven of the Tory minister's most calamitous mistakes since becoming Foreign Secretary
• ​Housing minister Dominic Raab replaces David Davis as Brexit secretary
• Full story: Davis resigns in major blow for Theresa May's authority
• Pound plummets in response to Boris Johnson's resignation from cabinet
• Jeremy Hunt replaces Boris Johnson as foreign secretary
• Matt Hancock appointed new health secretary

[9 July 2018 12:32 · Ashley Cowburn]

[9 July 2018 12:36 · Ashley Cowburn]

The US Ambassador to the UK has told BBC Radio 5 live that a potential bilateral trade deal between the UK and US is “totally up in the air”, following Friday’s Brexit customs deal agreed at Chequers.

“I think that there was a briefing that came out, as I understand it.  It was very short, a couple of pages.  This is a lot more complicated than a couple of pages.  I would say that the bilateral agreement, whether we have one or not, is totally up in the air at this point.”

When asked whether he thought a deal could be done at some point, he said:  “Absolutely, from the US standpoint, yes, we'd love to do a bilat, and the President said he'd like to do it quickly, and all hands on deck - so we'll get it done.”

[9 July 2018 12:46 · Ashley Cowburn]

Here's the Conservative MP Sarah Wollaston coming out in support of a fresh referendum on the final Brexit deal 

[9 July 2018 12:58 · Ashley Cowburn]

[9 July 2018 13:02 · Ashley Cowburn]

[9 July 2018 13:10 · Ashley Cowburn]

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[9 July 2018 13:29 · Lizzy Buchan]

Busy afternoon coming up in the Commons today, after an extremely hectic morning.

Gavin Williamson, the defence secretary, will be before MPs to answer questions at 2.30pm. He has been out and about pressing for more money for defence, and reportedly threatening to topple the PM if he does not get his way.

Then Theresa May will make a box-office statement on her Brexit strategy at around 3.30. In the wake of David Davis' resignation, this cou;d get interesting.

Sajid Javid will then make a statement on Amesbury.

[9 July 2018 13:42 · Ashley Cowburn]

[9 July 2018 13:47 · Lizzy Buchan]

Dominic Raab, the new Brexit secretary, was previously a member of a private Facebook group that called for the return of workhouses and the sale of all council homes.

Here's our story from February:

[9 July 2018 14:11 · Ashley Cowburn]