Rishi Sunak reshuffle 2023: UK cabinet and department changes today explained - who is in and who is out?

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has conducted a mini-reshuffle of his cabinet.

The moves comes shortly after Nadhim Zahawi was removed from his Tory Party Chairman role. The former Chancellor caused controversy after an ethics inquiry found he failed to disclose a HMRC investigation he was under while Chancellor.

A new Tory Party Chairman has been announced in Sunak’s reshuffle. The Prime Minister however fended off questions over the future of his Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab, following bullying allegations against the MP.

There has also been a restructuring around some departments, streamlining some and splitting others. This inlcuded splitting the business and energy department, with the Prime Minister saying: “I think we’ve seen over the last year in particular the impact that happens to people’s bills at home when energy policy doesn’t work properly, when we’re reliant on imported energy from hostile countries.”

But who’s in - and who’s out? Here’s everything you need to know about Sunak’s reshuffle.

Tory Party Chairman

Who’s in: Greg Hands

Who’s out: Nadhim Zahawi

Greg Hands was announced as the new Tory Part Chairman, succeeding Zahawi in the role. The MP for Chelsea and Fulham said that is was an “honour” to take on the role.

He tweeted: “I am excited to be asked by (Rishi Sunak) to be Chairman of the (Conservatives). I joined the Party in 1986 – a ward chairman in 1992, a councillor in 1998, a Group Leader in 1999, an MP in 2005, a Minister in 2011 – an honour to chair it in 2023! The work starts right away.”

Joining Hands as the deputy party chairman is the MP for Ashfield in Nottinghamshire, Lee Anderson. The controversial politician is attracted criticism on several occasions for comments, including when he said that food bank users “cannot budget”.

However, Anderson is said to have been given the role as Sunak want to appeal more to red wall voters in the next general election, whih the Tories as predicted currently to lose. Anderson is a former miner, tweeting after his appointment: “Yes it’s true. From the pits to Parliament. Feeling very proud.”

Energy Security and Net Zero Secretary

Who’s in: Grant Shapps

Who’s out: nobody

Grant Shapps has been announced to head up the newly created department of energy security and net zero department. The department once made up part of the business and energy department.

Sunak had campaigned for leadership of the Conservatives on a promise of reintroducing an independent department for energy, after it was scrapped in 2016. The PM said the move was for “the country to have greater energy security and independence because we can’t be held to ransom by hostile foreign countries”.

Shapps tweeted after his appointment: “Delighted to become the first Secretary of State for the new Department for Energy Security & Net Zero. My focus will be securing our long-term energy supply, bringing down bills and thereby helping to halve inflation.”

Sunak said that Shapps was “one of our most capable and experienced ministers”. He was formerly the Business Secretary.

Business and Trade Secretary

Who’s in: Kemi Badenoch

Who’s out: Grant Shapps

Kemi Badnoch, formerly the International Trade Secretary, will pick up Shapps’ business role and also incorporate her trade department. The new department will combine both business and trade, consolidating the two departments in government.

Badenoch has become a prominent face on the Tory Party. She raised eyebrows after a surprisingly successful run in the Tory leadership election earlier this year, with the then-relatively unknown MP picking up much support from his Tory Party colleagues.

Her popularity with colleagues landed her a position in Liz Truss’s former cabinet and subsequently Sunak’s cabinet. She will now serve as Business and Trade Secretary.

Culture, Media, and Sport Secretary

Who’s in: Lucy Frazer

Who’s out: Michelle Donelan

As part of Sunak’s reshuffle the former Department Digital, Culture, Media and Sport was steamlined, inluding only Culture, Media and Sport. Michelle Donelan was replaced by the new secretary Lucy Frazer.

Frazer, MP for South East Cambridgeshire, is a former prisons minister. She has become the 12th person to be appointed to the role of Culture Secretary in the part 13 years.

Science, Innovation and Technology Secretary

Who’s in: Michelle Donelan

Who’s out: nobody

Michelle Donelan has moved from her previous role as Culutre Secretary to a newly created department. The new department of science, innovation and techonology will pick up much of the digital remit of her former area of expertise, as well as incorportaing the more scientific issues.

This includes Donelan continuing her work with the Online Safety Bill. The bill is currently in the phase of going through scrutiny in th House of Lords.