UK politics - LIVE: Theresa May to chair first meeting of new cabinet as she battles to keep her job

Theresa May is chairing the first meeting of her new-look cabinet as she battles to keep her job amid mounting chaos in the Conservative Party.

The prime minister reshuffled her senior ministers on Monday after David Davis and Boris Johnson dramatically resigned in protest at the government's Brexit policy.

Jeremy Hunt, previously the health secretary, was moved to foreign secretary, with Matt Hancock, the culture secretary, replacing him. Jeremy Wright, the attorney general, became culture secretary and was replaced by Geoffrey Cox.

Ms May addressed her MPs last night amid swirling speculation that Tory Eurosceptics are on the verge of triggering a vote of no confidence in her. More ministers and frontbench aides could resign today.

Meanwhile, Angela Merkel is in London for a summit on the Western Balkans, with she and Ms May expected to hold a joint press conference this afternoon.

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11:40

Matt Hancock replaced Jeremy Hunt as health secretary during yesterday's reshuffle. Here's the full story:

 

Matt Hancock replaces Jeremy Hunt as health secretary

Theresa May was forced to reshuffle her top team after Boris Johnson and David Davis both dramatically resigned

11:18

In lighter news, here's Ed Miliband - the man who in a alternate universe could now be prime minister - ringing a bell and shouting "It's coming home!"

 

11:04

11:02

It looks like the government's full Brexit plan will be published this week after all, despite Theresa May having yesterday suggested it would be delayed until next week. 

 

The prime minister reportedly told the Cabinet the white paper would be published on Thursday after all, as originally planned...

 

10:53

10:46

Here's the first photo of Theresa May's new-look Cabinet, which held its first meeting this morning...

 

 

10:36

Interesting... Michael Gove has pulled out of a press conference he was due to be giving this morning. There has been growing speculation over whether the Environment Secretary might be the next Eurosceptic minister to resign, and his pulling out of public events, as Boris Johnson did yesterday, could be interpreted as an ominous sign.

 

On that other hand, Gove told ITV earlier that he was "absolutely not" resigning...

10:17

Neither wing of the Conservative Party is entirely happy with Theresa May's Brexit plan.

 

Dominic Grieve, one of the most prominent pro-EU Tories, has just told Sky News he would like to see the government go further, and commit to keeping the UK in a customs union and possibly the European Economic Area. He said:

 

"The point is very simple: we need frictionless trade with the EU. That's my view and I think it's the view of quite a few colleagues."

 

Asked what this means, he said:

 

"It could mean staying in a customs union, it could even mean staying in the European Economic Area.

 

The desirability in economic terms of the United Kingdom having frictionless access for goods and services into the EU market is absolutely overwhelming and businesses are saying this over and over again."

 

The former attorney general also suggested key votes on the Trade Bill and Customs Bill, scheduled for next week, should be delayed until the government has published its Brexit white paper.

 

The document was due to published this week but Ms May announced yesterday that it would be delayed until next week.

 

10:01

  ↵

Just in case you missed all the drama of yesterday, here's a full round-up of a chaotic day in Westminster in which Theresa May saw two of her senior ministers resign and faced the biggest threat to her leadership since last year's general election...

 

Theresa May clings on after Boris Johnson quits amid torrid day of Brexit conflict

Mr Johnson said the prime minister's plans for negotiating with Europe equated to going into battle with 'white flags fluttering'

09:43

Here's what's going on in the House of Commons today...

09:33

Former Conservative Party leader Michael Howard has warned colleagues against attempting to oust Theresa May.

 

Lord Howard, a Brexiteer, said moves to force a leadership contest would be "extremely foolish and ill-advised". Full story:

 

Former Conservative leader warns Tories a vote of no confidence in Theresa May would be 'extremely foolish’

Party rules dictate that 48 Tory MPs must sign letters of no confidence before a vote is triggered, but that number has not yet materialised

09:26

Sir Michael Fallon, the former defence secretary, has rejected suggestions a Tory leadership challenge may be imminent.

 

Asked if he thought a contest would be triggered, he told the BBC:

 

"No I don't. I think, overall, colleagues should think very, very carefully about that.

"That's the last thing we need at the moment.

"We now have a plan. There is now an agreed plan on the way forward."

09:09

  ↵

New foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt is looking very happy as her enters Downing Street this morning...

08:42

David Gauke, the justice secretary, was sent out to defend the government's Brexit strategy this morning.

 

In case you'd forgotten, that's the Brexit strategy both David Davis and Boris Johnson savaged in their resignation letters yesterday.

 

Gauke told Radio 4's Today programme that "compromises" were needed to avoid a "no deal Brexit.

 

He said:

"It's a negotiation and that requires compromises from both sides if we are to reach an agreement which is in the best interests of the United Kingdom and the best interest of the EU 27."

 What I would say to those of my colleagues ... if there are some who think this is pain free and this is just something that we can ride over very easily, is no deal will have a negative impact on our constituents, on the British public.

It is not an attractive option at all, which is why we should try to move these negotiations forward.

But, of course, one cannot rule that out at this stage and we have to be prepared for it."

08:28

After yesterday's turmoil, which saw the dramatic resignations of two senior cabinet ministers, Theresa May will be hoping for a calmer morning as she chairs the first meeting of her new cabinet.

 

Speculation of an imminent leadership challenge continues to swirl around Westminster but the rebels are holding their fire - for now at least.

 

However, pressure is mounting on Ms May to change the Brexit strategy agreed by ministers at Chequers last week. She has so far refused to do so, placing her firmly on a collision course with Tory Brexiteers, who have threatened to vote down the Brexit deal later this year....

08:21

Welcome to The Independent's live coverage on what is set to be another dramatic day in Westminster.