May holds first Cabinet to discuss manifesto but vows to KEEP target to reduce immigration
THERESA May held the first Cabinet meeting of her new team today as she looks to get Brexit back on track following a difficult week for the Prime Minister.
May holds first cabinet meeting since General Election
Following news that she failed to hold onto her parliamentary majority last week, the Prime Minister met with a largely unchanged Cabinet - albeit with a few surprise inclusions.
After delaying next Monday’s Queen’s Speech as she tries to thrash out a deal with Northern Ireland’s DUP to form a coalition government, the Prime Minister looked to get back to business as she spoke to ministers at No 10.
The PM's spokesman said today: “The talks are ongoing with the DUP. Progress is being made.
“Once that process is complete then I'm sure there will be discussions in terms of the Queen's Speech.”
A Labour spokesman said: “Number Ten's failure to confirm the date of the Queen's Speech shows that this government is in chaos, as it struggles to agree a backroom deal with a party with abhorrent views on LGBT and women's rights.”
Theresa May sits alongside Boris Johnson as she addresses her new Cabinet
Despite fears that the Prime Minister may be forced to water down her manifesto after a dismal election for the Conservatives, Mrs May is determined to keep to her pledge to reduce net immigration to the tens of thousands by 2020.
The Government has consistently failed to reach the target of reducing net migration below 100,000, which was first promised by her predecessor David Cameron in the 2010 General Election campaign.
In the most recent official figures published, annual net migration stood at 273,000 in the 12 months to last September.
Taking back control of Britain’s borders was a key reason behind the decision to leave the EU, and the Prime Minister wants to keep her immigration promise amid fears that her weakened position may result in a softer Brexit deal.
Michael Gove arrives at Downing Street after he was reinstated in Mrs May's Cabinet
Sat next to Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, who earlier urged Conservative MPs to back the Prime Minister in a leaked WhatsApp message, Mrs May appeared calm and composed as she addressed her top team and looked to assure ministers following a difficult week for the Conservatives.
Also present were Home Secretary Amber Rudd, Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon and Chancellor Philip Hammond - all of whom held onto their jobs in the Prime Minister's new Cabinet.
Making his return was Michael Gove, whose return to Mrs May's top team as the new Environment Secretary has raised a few eyebrows after the Brexiteer was ousted from the Cabinet less than a year ago.
Mr Gove, who served as Justice Secretary under David Cameron, succeeds Andrea Leadsom, who was promoted to Leader of the Commons.
Speaking to Sky News, Mr Gove said he was “quite surprised” abut his return to the Cabinet.
Scottish Conservatives leader Ruth Davidson pictured at the meeting
Mrs May addresses ministers in her first Cabinet meeting since the election
"I was down in Surrey and I was just enjoying the afternoon with a friend when suddenly the phone rang,” he said.
"There was an invitation to go to Number 10 Downing Street.
"Of course I knew that today was reshuffle day, but I genuinely didn't expect this role.”
Another high-profile addition was Damian Green, who will serve as the Prime Minister’s right hand man and second in command as her First Secretary of State.
The title, which was last given to George Osborne by David Cameron, effectively makes Mr Green the Deputy Prime Minister.
Speaking after the meeting, Mr Green said the Government had “a huge amount of work to get with” but Theresa May has “overwhelming support” from her Cabinet.
He said: "Not just the Brexit negotiations that start next week, but many other challenges that face us and we are determined to produce a Queen's Speech to ensure we can fulfil the Prime Minister's ambition to have a country that works for everyone.”
The new First Secretary of State also looked to alleviate fears over the planned coalition with the DUP.
He added: "Previous Labour governments have tried to do deals with the DUP - Gordon Brown tried in 2010.
"The DUP are another democratically-elected party, the same way the Liberal Democrats were when we went into coalition with them in 2010.
"So any idea that this deal that we have, the agreement that we want to make with them, is in any way illegitimate is just democratically wrong."
Minister of State for Immigration Brandon Lewis (L) and Britain's Home Secretary Amber Rudd arrive
Theresa May alongside Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, who had been tipped to replace her
The PM's top team at No 10 on Monday
Also present was Ruth Davidson, who enjoyed a very successful election after the Scottish Tories won 13 seats north of the border in a huge blow to the SNP.
Ms Davidson emerged as one of the more powerful figures within the Conservative party after her election success, and is believed to be keen to urge Mrs May to rethink her Brexit plan iso that Scotland does not suffer as Britain withdraws from the EU.
She sat alongside David Mundell, who returned as Scottish Secretary after retaining the Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale seat.
Speaking after completing her reshuffle, Mrs May said: "What I've done today is seen people from across the party accepting the invitation to be in my Cabinet and crucially I have brought in talent from across the whole of the Conservative Party."
And on her own future, she said: "I said during the election campaign that if re-elected I would intend to serve a full term.
"But what I'm doing now is actually getting on with the immediate job. But I think that's what's important, I think that's what the public would expect."
David Gauke, the new Work & Pensions Secretary, arrives at No 10
Here is the full list of Theresa May’s new Cabinet:
Chancellor of the Exchequer: Philip Hammond
Home Secretary: Amber Rudd
Foreign Secretary: Boris Johnson
Brexit Secretary: David Davis
Defence Secretary: Sir Michael Fallon
Health Secretary: Jeremy Hunt
Environment Secretary: Michael Gove
First Secretary of State: Damian Green
Leader of the House of Commons: Andrea Leadsom
Leader of the House of Lords: Baroness Evans of Bowes Park
Justice Secretary: David Lidington
Chief Treasury Secretary: Liz Truss
Work and Pensions Secretary: David Gauke
Communities Secretary: Sajid Javid
Culture Secretary: Karen Bradley
International Development Secretary: Priti Patel
Transport Secretary: Chris Grayling
Business Secretary: Greg Clark
Trade Secretary: Liam Fox
Scottish Secretary: David Mundell
Conservative Party Chair: Patrick McLoughlin