Sunak announces mini reshuffle after ministers quit government

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has announced a reshuffle of his ministerial ranks after two Conservative MPs resigned from the government.

Robert Halfon unexpectedly quit as skills, apprenticeships and higher education minister and armed forces minister James Heappey stepped down in a forewarned move.

Both men have confirmed they will not stand as MPs at the next general election.

Veteran Harlow MP Halfon wrote in a letter to Sunak: “After well over two decades… I feel that it is time for me to step down at the forthcoming general election, and in doing so, to resign as a minister in your government.”

Heappey, the Conservative MP for Wells, Somerset, earlier this month announced his plan to quit as an MP and to stand down as a minister before then.

In a thread posted to X, formerly known as Twitter, he wrote: “I’ve loved every minute as armed forces minister in this incredible department. Our Armed Forces and Ministry of Defence civil servants are the very best of us.

“Representing them in Parliament & around the world over the last 4.5 years has been an amazing privilege.”

In his own letter, Sunak thanked Heappey for his “invaluable role in implementing the government’s defence agenda”.

Heappey had reportedly been on “resignation watch” from his ministerial role after telling colleagues privately that he was unhappy about the level of defence spending.

During his career in the Rifles, he served in Afghanistan, Iraq, Northern Ireland and Kenya and was tipped to succeed Ben Wallace as defence secretary, who resigned last year.

But Sunak instead gave the cabinet post to Grant Shapps, who has no military experience.

In his letter to Halfon, Sunak said he was “very sorry to hear” of his decision to step down and commended him as a “stalwart champion” for apprenticeships and social mobility.

Sunak confirmed that Luke Hall will replace Halfon, while Leo Docherty will replace Heappey.

The changes mean that Nus Ghani has moved to be Minister of State (Minister for Europe) in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office; Kevin Hollinrake will become a Minister of State in the Department for Business and Trade and Alan Mak will become a Parliamentary Under Secretary of State jointly in the Department for Business and Trade and the Cabinet Office.

Heappey and Halfon join a growing exodus of Tory MPs from the Commons as the Conservatives languish in the polls ahead of the national vote expected later this year.

More than 60 Conservatives have so far said they do not plan to run.

Downing Street said it was “not aware” of a new rule that if a minister is not fighting the next election, they have to quit the government immediately.

Asked the question, the Prime Minister’s official spokesman told reporters: “I’m not aware of it. It’s up to individuals to make these choices.”