Liz Truss loyalists get their rewards in cabinet

Many of the new PM’s key supporters are ­expected to be winners following a cabinet clear-out.

The Queen welcomes Liz Truss to Balmoral Castle where she was to be invited to become Prime Minister. Picture: Getty Images

Liz Truss was to be sworn in as the new British prime minister late on Tuesday night during a meeting with the Queen at Balmoral, with many of her key supporters ­expected to be winners following a cabinet clear-out.

Home Secretary Priti Patel resigned shortly after Ms Truss, 47, won the leadership campaign of the Conservative Party on Monday with 57 per cent support from the Tory membership, ahead of Rishi Sunak.

Kwasi Kwarteng, who is Ms Truss’s closest political ally, was poised to become chancellor of the exchequer, with Attorney-General Suella Braverman moved to the tricky brief of home secretary, and James Cleverly to foreign ­affairs.

If confirmed, it would mean no white men holding any of Britain’s four main ministerial posts for the first time.

Kwasi Kwarteng is Liz Truss’s closest political ally. Picture: AFP

Jacob Rees Mogg, who backed Ms Truss early in her campaign, could be the business secretary, or even be charged with dealing with the complicated Northern Ireland protocol, which Ms Truss has threatened to rip up.

Mr Sunak, who attracted more than 40,000 votes from the Tory membership, was not expected to be in the cabinet.

He told the BBC that being in cabinet was “not something I’m thinking about”.

With Ms Truss toppling Mr Sunak by 20,000 votes, there had been an immediate push for the new prime minister to include him in her frontbench team and avoid relying solely on her loyal backers.

Therese Coffey was pencilled in as health secretary and Ben Wallace, who last week met with Australian Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles for talks about the AUKUS security agreement, was expected to keep the defence portfolio.

The chair of the foreign affairs committee, Tom Tugendhat, who has looked to Australia for ways in which Britain should handle China, was favoured to be made the security minister.

The appointments were due to be finalised before Ms Truss hosts her first cabinet meeting and faces questions in parliament on Wednesday.

Attorney-General Suella Braverman is expected to be moved to the tricky brief of home secretary.

Roles were expected to be found for early leadership candidates Penny Mourdant and Kemi Badenoch.

Tory MPs are divided about the direction of the government and how it will address an energy costs. Ms Truss was reportedly examining a $200bn package involving more fracking licences, opening up the North Sea gas shelf, nuclear options and direct support for low-income families.

She promised in her victory speech that she would “deliver, deliver, deliver” on a plan to cut taxes and grow the economy as well as dealing with the vexed issue of energy bills, as well as deal with the under pressure National Health Service. A plan to address a cost-of-living crisis is expected by the end of the week, and an emergency budget is tipped to be delivered within weeks.

Outgoing prime minister Boris Johnson called for the party to unite behind Ms Truss.

They are a good friends, and immediately after being informed of her victory she told party members: “Boris, you got Brexit done, you crushed Jeremy Corbyn, you rolled out the vaccine and stood up to Vladimir Putin, you are admired from Kyiv to Carlisle.”

But opinion polls suggest a sizeable chunk of the British public have no faith in Ms Truss’s ability to tackle the cost-of-living crisis.

There had been an immediate push for the new prime minister to include Rishi Sunak in her frontbench team. Picture: Getty Images

A new poll by YouGov suggested only 14 per cent expect her to do a better job than Mr Johnson.

Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey challenged Ms Truss to call a general election as one of her first priorities.

“Under Liz Truss, we’re set to see more of the same crisis and chaos as under Boris Johnson. From the cost-of-living emergency to the NHS crisis, the Conservatives have shown they don’t care, and have no plan,” he said.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer congratulated Ms Truss but insisted only Labour could deliver the fresh start the country needed.

Former Conservative prime minister David Cameron urged unity within the party and hoped everyone would get behind the new leader.