Badenoch Becomes Business & Trade Sec In Ministerial Shuffle

Kemi Badenoch has been appointed Secretary for Business and Trade according to a gov't statement as Prime Minister Rishi Sunak engages in his first shuffle of Cabinet ministers since coming to office in October 2022. Badenoch, who came fourth in the summer 2022 Conservative party leadership contest and is viewed as something of a rising star int he party, previously served as International Trade Secretary, but will now take over the new combined brief.

• Grant Shapps, who had been Secretary of State for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy, takes over the new Energy and Net Zero Department. Alteration of departmental responsibilities seen as an effort to indicate gov't commitment to tackling high energy bills as well as climate change, while combining Business and Trade in one dep't has been called for by some industries in order to create a more cohesive gov't policy post-Brexit.
• Former Culture Secretary Michelle Donelan becomes head of the new Science, Innovation, and Technology Department.
• Trade Minister Greg Hands becomes Conservative Party Chairman, filling the void left by Nadhim Zahawi who was removed from the position by Sunak over his tax affairs.