London - British Prime Minister Theresa May, who took office on Wednesday with a mandate to take Britain out of the European Union, has announced the senior members of her cabinet...
FINANCE MINISTER - PHILIP HAMMOND
Foreign Secretary since 2014, Hammond, 60, has previously been Transport Secretary and was Defence Secretary for three years from 2011. Hammond will have to manage an economy that risks sliding into recession after last month's vote to leave the EU, and set new budget goals after his predecessor George Osborne abandoned his aim to run a budget surplus by 2020.
FOREIGN SECRETARY - BORIS JOHNSON
The most surprising of May's appointments. The flamboyant former Mayor of London was a leading figure in the victorious “Leave” campaign in Britain's European Union membership referendum last month but has never been a byword for diplomacy.
Johnson, 52, who has not previously held a cabinet post, will have to address questions about the country's role in the world after its exit from the EU and shape British policy towards key areas like Syria, Iran and Russia. The United States said it was looking forward to working with him.
INTERIOR MINISTER - AMBER RUDD
Rudd, 52, a former British energy minister, will play a key role in the country's approach to immigration, the issue which is widely believed to have swayed the EU vote to “Leave.” Rudd, who succeeds May in charge of the Home Office, became a lawmaker in 2010 and served as parliamentary private secretary to former finance minister George Osborne from 2012 to 2013. She later joined the department for energy and climate change, where she was promoted to minister in 2015. She was a high-profile supporter of the “Remain” camp in the referendum.
CHIEF BREXIT NEGOTIATOR - DAVID DAVIS
Davis, a senior Conservative lawmaker who was beaten by former prime minister David Cameron in the party's 2005 leadership election contest, was appointed to the new role of Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union. Davis, 67, a strong supporter of Brexit, has said Britain should take its time before formally starting the divorce process by triggering Article 50 of the EU's Lisbon Treaty.
INTERNATIONAL TRADE - LIAM FOX
Fox will be in charge of forging new international trade deals after Britain voted to leave the European Union. The 54-year-old has previously held a string of senior positions in government. He was defence minister from 2010 to 2011 and is a former minister in the foreign office.
DEFENCE MINISTER - MICHAEL FALLON
Scotsman Fallon, 64, has been defence minister since July 2014 and has forged a reputation as a safe pair of hands. He is a former Vice Chairman of the ruling Conservative Party. He has also served in the business and energy departments and on the Treasury select committee.
REUTERS