Summary

  • Boris Johnson undertakes a major reshuffle of his government ministers

  • Liz Truss is the new foreign secretary, replacing Dominic Raab

  • Raab is confirmed in three roles - justice secretary, Lord Chancellor and deputy prime minister

  • Former vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi is the new education secretary

  • He replaces Gavin Williamson - who was the first to be sacked from his post in these moves

  • Nadine Dorries is secretary of state for culture, media and sport

  • She replaces Oliver Dowden, who moves to the Cabinet Office

  • Michael Gove is the new minister for housing, communities and local government and has responsibility for the UK's union

  • Steve Barclay replaces Gove as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Cabinet Office minister

  • Anne-Marie Trevelyan is international trade secretary

  • Robert Buckland is sacked as justice secretary; Robert Jenrick as communities secretary

  • Amanda Milling is no longer Conservative Party co-chair

  1. Lib Dem MP welcomes space port green lightpublished at 12:49 British Summer Time 15 September 2021

    Liberal Democrat Jamie Stone welcomes the news that the Scottish land court has given the green light to building a space port in his constituency.

    He says it will be great for the UK and "on behalf of the crofters" extends a "warm invitation" to the PM to attend the launch where he can expect a "delicious highland tea as well as some scones".

    Boris Johnson says he looks forward to taking up the invitation.

  2. Too many can't afford to take sick leave - Nadia Whittomepublished at 12:41 British Summer Time 15 September 2021

    Nadia WhittomeImage source, HoC

    Labour's Nadia Whittome took time off earlier in the year to recover from post-traumatic stress disorder.

    However, she says "far too many people aren't able to take the time off that they need because statutory sick pay is not enough to live on".

    "Will the PM commit to full sick pay at a real living wage - not the government's current age-restricted minimum wage," she asks.

    Boris Johnson says his government has "made sure everybody who gets Covid-related sick pay gets it from day one".

    He adds that "most people in this country do receive considerably more than statutory sick pay".

  3. Kim Leadbeater asks first PMQs question since electionpublished at 12:39 British Summer Time 15 September 2021

    LeadbetterImage source, HoC

    Labour's Kim Leadbeater asks her first PMQs question since her election over the summer, when she was elected at the Batley and Spen by-election.

    It means she now represents the seat previously held by her sister Jo Cox, who was murdered there in 2016.

    She asks whether the prime minister agrees that the "devastating financial impact" of impending cuts to universal credit will have a detrimental effect on people's mental health.

    Boris Johnson says he does not - adding "in any case, Labour would abolish universal credit altogether".

  4. 'The crops are rotting in the field' - Conservative MPpublished at 12:35 British Summer Time 15 September 2021

    GaleImage source, HoC

    Conservative MP Sir Roger Gale tells MPs that in his constituency one glasshouse company has had to "trash £320,000 worth of produce" because of "a lack of pickers and drivers".

    "The crops are rotting in the field and in our trees," he says and asks the PM to introduce a "Covid recovery visa so this year's crops are not lost".

    Johnson says this has been "a problem for a long time" and that the government has introduced the seasonal agricultural workers scheme "to ensure farms get the labour they need".

  5. Cancer treatment hit by staff shortages, says Labour MPpublished at 12:32 British Summer Time 15 September 2021

    BryantImage source, HoC

    Labour's Chris Bryant says a friend of his has been told she has only a few weeks to live after being diagnosed with a very advanced cancer.

    He says the issue of late diagnosis will only be worsened by a "massive shortage" or pathologists and radiologists to carry out diagnosis, and oncologists and dermatologists for treatment.

    Boris Johnson replies that the system is "now coming back," and efforts are now underway to clear the NHS backlogs "as fast as possible" to clear backlog.

    He says he is "totally right" about staff shortages - but the "big powerful package" of tax rises proposed by the government is the best way to remedy this.

  6. DUP's 'petulant strop' threatens NI institutions - SDLP MPpublished at 12:32 British Summer Time 15 September 2021

    eastwoodImage source, HoC

    SDLP MP Colum Eastwood uses his question to criticise the DUP for "threatening to bring down the institutions of the Good Friday agreement" because "they have been hit by a bad opinion poll".

    Last week, DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson warned that his party may quit Stormont "within weeks" if its demands over the Northern Ireland Protocol are not met.

    Eastwood urges the PM to "fast-track legislation" to "stop institutions coming down if one party has a petulant strop".

    Boris Johnson replies that "it is important that the institutions of Northern Ireland should be robust."

    But he adds that "a responsible government has to address the issues" concerning the DUP.

  7. SNP: Winter plan is needed to fight 'Tory poverty pandemic’published at 12:32 British Summer Time 15 September 2021

    BlackfordImage source, HoC

    SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford asked the PM how much would welfare cuts would cost the average nurse after the biggest inflation jump in a decade.

    Blackford is not impressed with Boris Johnson’s answer - highlighting fuel duty freezes and child care, and money being put into nurses training and wages - claiming he “does not know or simply does not care”.

    He then asks if Scottish Tory MPs have been "bought off" with the offer of jobs in the reshuffle.

    Mr Johnson outlines the money for NHS across the UK, and asked if the SNP really wanted to send that money back.

  8. 'Panto season has come early'published at 12:20 British Summer Time 15 September 2021

    StarmerImage source, HoC

    For his last question, Keir Starmer says the tax system is loaded against working people, and the prime minster needs to "get real" about the "terrible impact" that tax rises will have on the low paid.

    He says council tax, National Insurance and food prices are all going up - as his backbencher MPs behind him shout "up" each time.

    In response, Boris Johnson jokes that the "panto season has come early".

    Recruiting his own MPs, who also shout along, he retorts that employment, job vacancies and wages are also "up".

    He also snipes that the Labour leader's rumoured 14,000 word essay - which it has been reported he will publish shortly - can be summarised as: "Vote Labour. Wait longer".

  9. Analysis

    Cabinet reshuffle will take place todaypublished at 12:17 British Summer Time 15 September 2021
    Breaking

    Laura Kuenssberg
    Political editor

    A Number 10 source confirms that the anticipated Cabinet reshuffle will take place today.

    "The PM will today conduct a reshuffle to put in place a strong and united team to Build Back Better from the pandemic."

  10. Labour has nothing to say - PMpublished at 12:16 British Summer Time 15 September 2021

    JohnsonImage source, HoC

    Keir Starmer says the National Insurance tax rise is "unfair" and "not a plan".

    He says Boris Johnson's approach means a working single parent would lose £1,143 a year, while a supermarket worker would lose £1,093.

    He accuses the government of wasting "billions on crony contracts" and "handing out super tax deductions for the biggest company".

    Johnson describes Starmer's criticism as "ridiculous".

    He says the government is hiring more nurses and has put an extra £36bn into the NHS and social care.

    "This government has a plan and Labour has absolutely nothing to say," he adds.

  11. Workers can't work longer hours, says Starmerpublished at 12:15 British Summer Time 15 September 2021

    Keir Starmer again complains that the prime minister hasn't answered his questions.

    The Labour leader adds that low-paid workers "can't work longer hours" to make back the money lost under universal credit - and will be taxed 75p for each extra pound they earn.

    He says the universal credit cuts - along with the National Insurance rises to pay for social care and the NHS backlog - are "hammering" lower-paid people.

    Boris Johnson attacks Labour for voting against the new health tax this week - saying he finds it "utterly incredible" that the party behind the healthcare service would vote against money to "fix the NHS".

    The Conservatives, he insists, are now "the party of the NHS".

  12. Starmer: UC recipients will need to work an extra nine hours a weekpublished at 12:10 British Summer Time 15 September 2021

    PMQsImage source, HoC

    Answering his own question, Starmer says a single parent working full time on the minimum wage would need to work an extra nine hours a week to get the money back that "the prime minster is taking away".

    "How on earth are they going to find the time to work an extra day every week," he asks.

    The PM says his government is helping workers by offering help with childcare, freezing petrol duty and investing in skills.

    "We want a high wage, high skills economy with controlled immigration - they want low wages, low skills and uncontrolled immigration."

  13. Wages are rising, insists Johnsonpublished at 12:09 British Summer Time 15 September 2021

    JohnsonImage source, HoC

    Keir Starmer says the prime minister didn't answer his question.

    He asks him whether the correct answer is "higher or lower" than the two hours per week ventured by Work and Pensions Secretary Therese Coffey - prompting some panto-style theatrics in the chamber.

    Boris Johnson replies that wages "across the board are rising".

    He adds that wages have gone up 4.1% up from before pandemic.

  14. Starmer opens on universal credit cutspublished at 12:08 British Summer Time 15 September 2021

    StarmerImage source, HoC

    Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer begins his questions by offering the PM his condolences on the loss of his mother.

    Moving on, he asks how many extra hours a week would a single parent working full time on the minimum wage have to work to get back the amount that will be taken away after the universal credit cuts.

    Boris Johnson says the question is "absurd". He says every single recipient of universal credit would lose their benefits because Labour want to abolish universal credit.

    "They want to keep this country in lockdown and keep this country in furlough without moving forward," he says.

  15. Why are MPs wearing wheat badges?published at 12:03 British Summer Time 15 September 2021

    Lindsay HoyleImage source, HoC
    Image caption,

    Commons Speaker Sir Linsday Hoyle

    You might be wondering why MPs, including the Speaker, Boris Johnson and Keir Starmer, are wearing a wheat pin badge today

    It is to show their support for Back British Farming day - an event organised by the National Farmers' Union.

  16. PMQs startspublished at 12:01 British Summer Time 15 September 2021
    Breaking

    Wales Questions comes to an end in the House of Commons and Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle announces the beginning of Prime Minister's Question.

    Stick with us for all the updates.

  17. Analysis

    PMQs exchanges could be overshadowedpublished at 12:00 British Summer Time 15 September 2021

    Damian Grammaticas
    Political correspondent

    It looks like tax rises and benefit cuts will be what Labour seeks to make a feature of in the Commons today.

    They may want to highlight the hit to those on lower incomes of the increase to National Insurance that Boris Johnson has now pushed through and which will take effect next year, and the imminent cut of the universal credit uplift of £20 a week.

    But that could soon all be overshadowed as Johnson appears to be on the brink of reshuffling his ministers.

    If he takes the plunge - who’s in, who’s out, who’s up, who’s down - will likely be what grabs attention later, with all of what it will signal about what he think is not working in his government and what he wants to change.

  18. Analysis

    Reshuffle rumours in the Commons' corridorspublished at 11:56 British Summer Time 15 September 2021

    Our political correspondent is over in Portcullis House

    Pete Saull
    Political Correspondent, BBC Westminster

    I'm in the building across the road from Ben Big where lots of MPs have their offices.

    Talk around here is that any reshuffle will be more low level rather than lots of big guns moving - we'll have to wait and see how accurate that gossip may be.

  19. PM heads over to Parliamentpublished at 11:49 British Summer Time 15 September 2021

    Johnson leaving No 10Image source, Reuters

    Boris Johnson has just left Downing Street as he heads over to the Commons for PMQs.

    In the past when there has been a reshuffle, the PM has stayed in his Commons office for part of the afternoon before returning to No 10.

    We'll be watching to see if his movements give us any indication that things may be moving.

  20. Javid: Pressure on NHS would trigger Covid 'Plan B'published at 11:46 British Summer Time 15 September 2021

    Sajid JavidImage source, EPA

    Health Secretary Sajid Javid gave interviews on BBC Breakfast and Radio 4's Today programme earlier, to on the government's Covid winter plan. Here are five top lines from what he said:

    • There will be "no single trigger" for bringing back any coronavirus restrictions during winter
    • But the "number one issue to watch" will be how the NHS is coping
    • The governnment's so-called Plan A offers "very strong defences" against a winter spike in Covid cases, with vaccines, "amazing new treatments", testing and surveillance
    • Ideally coronavirus boosters and flu jabs will be given at the same time - but it might not be practical
    • Social media companies should take action against those who post "untruths" about the coronavirus vaccine

    You can read the detail in full here

    Sajid Javid has only been back in the cabinet since June, so we would expect he has the safest place if there is a reshuffle later.