Chris Grayling has been appointed transport secretary, while, elsewhere in transport delivery, Sajid Javid is the new secretary of state for communities and local government.
Formally serving as the leader of the Commons, Mr Grayling held a number of different posts under Mr Cameron’s leadership including justice secretary from 2012 to 2015.
Described by many as Theresa May’s right hand man, Mr Grayling was expected by many in the media to win a major post under the new PM.
Chris Grayling
The Conservative MP for Epsom and Ewell since 2001, Mr Grayling welcomed his new job on his website saying he was ‘delighted’.
In 2009 the Independent reported he had privately voiced concern about the Tories’ opposition to Heathrow expansion.
And last September he wrote on his website: ‘You are probably as frustrated as I am by the slow progress on bringing Oyster to Epsom. Being a Government minister doesn’t mean you can force officials to do favours for your own area, so I have to lobby like every other MP.
‘Progress is currently being slowed by the major problems elsewhere on the Southern network, which is being badly disrupted by industrial unrest and the work at London Bridge. Please be assured that I am still pressing for progress though.’
Whether being secretary of state for transport means he can convince officials to give some more attention to these issues remains to be seen.
Sajid Javid
Mr Javid is MP for Bromsgrove and has a strong grounding in business and financial policy that could stand him in good stead for the upcoming local government business rates devolution programme, which the department has recently started a consultation on.
The former secretary of state for business, innovation and skills, he was also financial and economic secretary to the Treasury. Before public service he was a senior managing director with Deutsche Bank AG, and started his career with Chase Manhattan Bank NA in New York in 1991.
Former communities secretary, Greg Clark has been appointed business secretary as secretary of state for business, energy and industrial strategy and former transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin has been appointed Tory Party chairman - giving him responsibility for the Cabinet Office, the role formerly held by Oliver Letwin.
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