David Lidington takes over from Damian Green at the Cabinet Office, the key Whitehall co-ordination role, which will include liaising with the Scottish Government over Brexit as well as chairing key Cabinet committees. He will also deputise for Theresa May should she be unable to do Prime Minister’s Questions.

Raised in Hertfordshire, Mr Lidington, 61, studied history at Cambridge, where he became Chairman of the university’s Conservative Association.

After working for BP, he became special advisor to Douglas Hurd, the then Foreign Secretary, and in 1992 succeeded in winning the seat of Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire.

In opposition he held a number of portfolios under the leaderships of Hague, Duncan Smith, Howard and Cameron and in the Lib-Con Coalition was promoted to Europe Minister.

When Mrs May took over in Downing Street, the father-of-four was promoted to the Cabinet as Commons Leader and then Justice Secretary, a post he held for just six months.