The Attorney General, Suella Braverman, was one of the first to throw her hat in the ring for the job of Prime Minister, following last week’s turmoil in Downing Street.
Braverman, a barrister, told ITV journalist Robert Peston, in a live interview prior to the PM’s resignation speech, she thought Johnson should step down and announced her intention to stand for the leadership. However, she has continued in her role. The field of leadership candidates was due to be whittled to two this week.
Solicitor General, Alex Chalk and Justice ministers, barrister Victoria Atkins and former entrepreneur James Cartlidge were among more than 50 members of the government to resign, as Conservative MPs struggled to persuade Johnson to leave office last week.
Chalk has since been replaced by former family law barrister Edward Timpson while Atkins has been replaced by non-lawyer Tom Pursglove. Legal aid minister Cartlidge has been replaced by Stuart Andrew, who was a housing minister before resigning last week. Two under secretaries of state have also joined the Ministry of Justice (MoJ)―barrister Sarah Dines, previously an assistant whip before resigning last week, and Simon Baynes, who will perform the role jointly at the MoJ and Home Office.
Timpson said: ‘One of my first priorities is to continue the government’s work in rebuilding confidence in our criminal justice system—particularly for victims.’
Dominic Raab continued in his joint role of Lord Chancellor and deputy PM.
Christopher Bellamy, a Peer, who chaired the Criminal Legal Aid Review and was appointed in June as under secretary of state at the MoJ, has continued in his role as justice spokesperson in the House of Lords.
