Brexit morning briefing: Theresa May reveals top cabinet jobs

Staff applaud as Britain’s new PM Theresa May, and her husband, Philip, walk into 10 Downing Street. Photograph: Reuters

Good morning and welcome to our daily Brexit briefing. Today: Theresa May’s first day in office.

The big picture

So the UK now has a new prime minister in Theresa May after the former home secretary went to Buckingham Palace and then told the nation that the monarch had invited her to form a new government.

Theresa May and husband Philip outside No 10 on Wednesday. Photograph: John Phillips/Getty Images

The really big surprise came with her decision to appoint the leading Brexit campaigner Boris Johnson as foreign secretary.

Boris Johnson leaves Downing Street after being appointed foreign secretary. Photograph: Carl Court/Getty Images

There was also a surprise elevation for Amber Rudd, the energy secretary, who will succeed May as home secretary. Rudd has been an MP since 2010 and only joined the cabinet last May.

Liam Fox also rejoins the ranks of Conservative heavyweights following years of being out in the cold after being appointed secretary of state for international trade.

Amber Rudd, the new home secretary. Photograph: Will Oliver/EPA

Does anyone have a Brexit plan yet?

No, although that will now be down to David Davis, another leading leave campaigner, who becomes the catchily titled secretary of state for exiting the European Union. Expect that to soon become Brexit secretary.

For the real story of May’s cabinet decisions, have a read of John Crace’s sketch.

You should also know:

• Owen Smith has set out his stall for the Labour leadership by saying he would offer the public a second referendum to ratify any Brexit deal Britain strikes with the EU.
• Jeremy Corbyn tacitly endorsed bullying and intimidation of Labour staff by voting against the proposal for a secret ballot on Wednesday night, an NEC member said.
• The Labour leadership is facing the prospect of a split on what action to take against Tony Blair over the invasion of Iraq as Emily Thornberry, the new shadow foreign secretary, opposed a censure motion against the former prime minister.

Diary

• 9.30am: Unite policy conference continues at the Brighton Centre.
• 12pm: The Bank of England may cut interest rates to 0.25% in a bid to bolster the post-Brexit economy.
• 5pm: NHS solidarity march in central London to encourage action to defend the NHS from privatisation.

Read these

Anne Perkins dissects Theresa May’s speech: What she said and what she meant.

Simon Jenkins says that although May took on the police her new foes are far fiercer.

Polly Toynbee writes that David Cameron has washed his hands of No 10 – but he’s left an almighty mess behind.

Baffling claim of the day

Inevitably, it has to be new foreign secretary Boris Johnson:

Clearly now we have a massive opportunity in this country to make a great success of our relationship with Europe and with the world and I’m very excited to be asked to play a part in that.

And another thing

Would you like to wake up to this briefing in your inbox? Sign up here.