# 2021 British cabinet reshuffle

Boris Johnson carried out the second significant reshuffle of his majority government from 15 September to 18 September 2021, having last done so in February 2020.

## Cabinet-level changes

| Minister | Position before reshuffle | Position after reshuffle |
| Rt Hon Gavin Williamson CBE MP | Secretary of State for Education | Left the government |
| Nadhim Zahawi MP | Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for COVID-19 Vaccine Deployment | Secretary of State for Education |
| Rt Hon Robert Buckland QC MP | Secretary of State for Justice Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain | Left the government |
| Rt Hon Dominic Raab MP | First Secretary of State Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs | Deputy Prime Minister Secretary of State for Justice Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain |
| Rt Hon Liz Truss MP | Secretary of State for International Trade Minister for Women and Equalities | Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs Minister for Women and Equalities |
| Rt Hon Anne-Marie Trevelyan MP | Minister of State for Business, Energy and Clean Growth | Secretary of State for International Trade |
| Rt Hon Robert Jenrick MP | Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government | Left the government |
| Rt Hon Michael Gove MP | Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Minister for the Cabinet Office | Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Minister for Intergovernmental Relations |
| Rt Hon Steve Barclay MP | Chief Secretary to the Treasury | Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Minister for the Cabinet Office |
| Simon Clarke MP | Backbencher | Chief Secretary to the Treasury |
| Rt Hon Amanda Milling MP | Minister without Portfolio Chairman of the Conservative Party | Minister of State for Asia |
| Rt Hon Oliver Dowden CBE MP | Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport | Minister without Portfolio Chairman of the Conservative Party |
| Nadine Dorries MP | Minister of State for Mental Health, Suicide Prevention and Patient Safety | Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport |
| Nigel Adams MP | Minister of State for Asia | Minister of State for the Cabinet Office |
| Kit Malthouse MP | Minister of State for Crime and Policing | Attending Cabinet |
| Michelle Donelan MP | Minister of State for Universities | Minister of State for Higher and Further Education Attending Cabinet |

## Junior ministerial changes

| Minister | Position before reshuffle | Position after reshuffle |
| Rt Hon Greg Hands MP | Minister of State for Trade Policy | Minister of State for Business, Energy and Clean Growth |
| Rt Hon Penny Mordaunt MP | Paymaster General | Minister of State for Trade Policy |
| Rt Hon Michael Ellis QC MP | Solicitor General for England and Wales | Paymaster General |
| Alex Chalk MP | Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice | Solicitor General for England and Wales |
| James Cartlidge MP | Backbencher | Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice |
| Luke Hall MP | Minister of State for Regional Growth and Local Government | Left the government |
| Kemi Badenoch MP | Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Equalities | Minister of State for Regional Growth and Local Government Minister of State for Equalities |
| Helen Whately MP | Minister of State for Social Care | Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury |
| Gillian Keegan MP | Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Apprenticeships and Skills | Minister of State for Care and Mental Health |
| Alex Burghart MP | Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Prime Minister | Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Apprenticeships and Skills |
| Andrew Griffith MP | Backbencher | Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Prime Minister |
| Rt Hon Jesse Norman MP | Financial Secretary to the Treasury | Left the government |
| Rt Hon Lucy Frazer QC MP | Minister of State for Prisons and Probation | Financial Secretary to the Treasury |
| Victoria Atkins MP | Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Safeguarding | Minister of State for Prisons and Probation |
| Rachel Maclean MP | Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport | Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Safeguarding |
| Trudy Harrison MP | Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Prime Minister | Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport |
| Sarah Dines MP | Backbench | Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Prime Minister |
| James Duddridge MP | Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Africa | Left the government |
| Vicky Ford MP | Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Children and Families | Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Africa |
| Will Quince MP | Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Welfare Delivery | Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Children and Families |
| David Rutley MP | Lord Commissioner of the Treasury | Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Welfare Delivery |
| Rt Hon Nick Gibb MP | Minister of State for School Standards | Left the government |
| Hon Robin Walker MP | Minister of State for Northern Ireland | Minister of State for School Standards |
| Rt Hon Conor Burns MP | Backbencher | Minister of State for Northern Ireland |
| Matt Warman MP | Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Digital Infrastructure | Left the government |
| Chris Philp MP | Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Immigration Compliance and Courts | Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Digital Economy |
| Tom Pursglove MP | Assistant Government Whip | Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Immigration Compliance and Courts |
| Rt Hon John Whittingdale OBE MP | Minister of State for Media and Data | Left the government |
| Julia Lopez MP | Minister for Implementation | Minister of State for Media and Data |
| Victoria Prentis MP | Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Farming, Fisheries and Food | Minister of State for Farming, Fisheries and Food |
| Jo Churchill MP | Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Prevention, Public Health and Primary Care | Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food |
| Maria Caulfield MP | Assistant Government Whip | Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Prevention, Public Health and Primary Care |
| Graham Stuart MP | Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Exports | Left the government |
| Mike Freer MP | Comptroller of HM Household | Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Exports |
| George Freeman MP | Backbencher | Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Science, Research and Innovation |
| Maggie Throup MP | Lord Commissioner of the Treasury | Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for COVID-19 Vaccine Deployment |
| Lee Rowley MP | Deputy Chairman of the Conservative Party Backbencher | Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business and Industry |
| Justin Tomlinson MP | Minister of State for Disabled People, Work and Health | Left the government to become Deputy Chairman of the Conservative Party |
| Chloe Smith MP | Minister of State for the Constitution and Devolution | Minister of State for Disabled People, Work and Health |
| Neil O'Brien MP | Backbencher | Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Levelling Up, The Union and Constitution |
| Caroline Dinenage MP | Minister of State for Digital and Culture | Left the government |
| David Duguid MP | Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland | Left the government |
| The Lord Offord of Garvel | None (appointed Peer) | Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland |
| The Baroness Berridge | Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Women Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the School System | Left the government |
| The Baroness Stedman-Scott | Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions | Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Women |
| The Baroness Barran | Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Civil Society | Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Schools System |
| The Lord Bethell | Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Innovation | Left the government |
| The Lord Kamall | Backbench Peer | Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Innovation |

## Whips' Office appointments

| Whip | Previous position | New position |
| Marcus Jones MP | Vice-Chamberlain of HM Household | Comptroller of HM Household |
| James Morris MP | Lord Commissioner of the Treasury | Vice-Chamberlain of HM Household |
| Amanda Solloway MP | Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Science, Research and Innovation | Lord Commissioner of the Treasury |
| Lee Rowley MP | Deputy Chairman of the Conservative Party Backbencher | Lord Commissioner of the Treasury |
| Craig Whittaker MP | Backbencher | Lord Commissioner of the Treasury |
| Gareth Johnson MP | Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs | Assistant Government Whip |
| Andrea Jenkyns MP | Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government | Assistant Government Whip |
| Steve Double MP | Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care | Assistant Government Whip |
| James Cartlidge MP | Backbencher | Assistant Government Whip |
| Heather Wheeler MP | Backbencher | Assistant Government Whip |
| The Baroness Chisholm of Owlpen | Backbench Peer | Baroness-in-waiting |
| The Lord Sharpe of Epsom | Backbench Peer | Lord-in-waiting |

## Reaction
### Demotion of Dominic Raab

There had been growing speculation that Dominic Raab would be demoted from his position as Foreign Secretary, as a result of his handling of the Taliban offensive in August 2021. On the day of the reshuffle, Raab met with the Prime Minister for a considerable length of time, having initially refused to leave the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. The Financial Times reported that Raab was "throwing his toys out of [the] pram". Sources are alleged to have told Sky News that Raab was "very angry" at Johnson's decision to move him. Eventually, Raab accepted his new position as Secretary of State for Justice and was given the additional role of Deputy Prime Minister, making him the first minister to hold the office since Nick Clegg during the Conservative–Liberal Democrat coalition (2010–2015).

### Appointment of Nadine Dorries

The appointment of Nadine Dorries as Culture Secretary was heavily criticised in the arts and culture sectors. Her promotion to the Cabinet was questioned due to her right-wing views and inexperience. Dorries was dubbed by some as the new "Secretary of State for Culture Wars", with concerns raised about her extreme views on cultural issues. Following her appointment, the Broadcasting, Entertainment, Communications and Theatre Union called on the new minister to "focus more on supporting our cultural industries and less on stoking divisive culture wars".

### Notable dismissals

After Robert Buckland was dismissed as Secretary of State for Justice and replaced by Dominic Raab, there was some criticism from Sir Bob Neill, chairman of the Justice Select Committee. Neill told Sky News that removing Buckland from his position was "unjust, outrageous" and that he had been "shabbily treated" by Johnson. Derek Sweeting, chairman of the Bar Council, appeared to criticise the turnover of justice secretaries, stating: "As we welcome the eighth justice secretary in the last 10 years to play this vital role, the need for a consistent and strong voice in government for our justice system could not be greater".
Alix Culbertson wrote that Gavin Williamson's sacking was of "little surprise" following his handling of GCSE grades. He was also criticised for confusing rugby player Maro Itoje with Marcus Rashford. Wes Streeting responded to reports that Williamson had been ‘tipped for knighthood’ saying "there should be no rewards for failure." On 24 September 2021, Williamson unfollowed Boris Johnson on Instagram.

## Later changes

In December 2021, Wendy Morton and Chris Heaton-Harris swapped ministerial jobs (Minister of State for Europe and Minister of State for Transport).