Explained: Who are the new faces appointed to Boris Johnson’s cabinet?

After announcing his resignation on Thursday, Mr Johnson is expected to remain as interim prime minister until a new Conservative Party leader is elected.

It is thought that the new face in Number 10 will be elected by the Tory conference in October, although some MPs oppose his remaining in office for so long.

A number of cabinet members have resigned in recent days, while others, including Home Secretary Priti Patel, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss and Defense Secretary Ben Wallace have remained in their posts.

Here’s a look at who was newly appointed to Mr Johnson’s cabinet during the reshuffle.

Sir Robert Buckland

Sir Robert Buckland became Foreign Secretary for Wales, following the departure of Simon Hart – who accepted the role just hours after saying Mr Johnson “cannot go on any longer”.

“Any reasonable observer would say he has no more authority,” the former Lord Chancellor told LBC Radio on Thursday morning.

After his appointment, he told Sky News that he took the job only because Mr Johnson resigned and he wanted to “serve our country”, adding: “If he had asked me yesterday I would have said no,” he said.

Johnson had fired Sir Robert as justice minister in a reshuffle in June 2021. He had served in government for seven years.

Kit Malthouse

Former Police Minister Kit Malthouse was appointed as the new Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, the highest-ranking cabinet minister after the Prime Minister.

Malthouse succeeds Steve Barclay, who was appointed health minister on Tuesday, in the role and has previously also served as housing minister.

He is seen as one of Johnson’s long-standing allies, but has said the prime minister made the “right decision” by choosing to resign.

James Slim

James Cleverly is the third person in 48 hours to hold the role of Education Secretary. Nadhim Zahawi, the new Chancellor, held the role until Tuesday afternoon and was replaced by Michelle Donelan, who stepped down on Thursday morning.

Mr Cleverly, a Member of Parliament for Baintree in Essex, was previously a minister in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Commonwealth and Development.

He stood behind the prime minister after the June confidence vote, saying it was a “clear victory” for Mr Johnson.

Greg Clark

Greg Clark was appointed to the Leveling Up mandate after Mr Johnson fired Michael Gove on Wednesday night – despite voting in the no-confidence motion last month to oust Mr Johnson.

The MP for Tunbridge Wells, who previously sat in cabinet under May and Cameron, was one of the Tory rebels who kicked Johnson out of the party in retaliation for rebellion over Brexit in 2019.

Shortly after his appointment on Thursday, Mr Clark tweeted: “We have a duty to ensure that the country has a functioning government in the coming weeks”.

Shailesh Vara

Shailesh Vara has been appointed Foreign Secretary for Northern Ireland after his predecessor Brandon Lewis stepped down earlier on Thursday.

Before his appointment, he tweeted that it was “the right decision” for Mr Johnson to step down.

The North West Cambridgeshire MP has previously served as Minister for Northern Ireland, Minister for Justice, Ministry of Work and Pensions and as a government whip.

Andrew Stephenson

Andrew Stephenson, MP for Pendle, was appointed minister without portfolio and will also attend cabinet.

He tweeted on Thursday: “Now that Boris Johnson has decided to step down, we need to ensure a smooth transition so that we can continue to do so”.

Before that he was State Secretary at the Ministry of Transport. Before that he was Minister of Foreign Affairs.