Sunak Supporters Culled As New PM Circles The Wagons

Liz Truss's hopes of uniting her party after a fractious leadership contest were put at risk after she conducted a brutal cabinet clearout of supporters of rival Rishi Sunak in her first hours as prime minister.

- Andrew Woodcock, Kate Devlin

The new PM constructed a top team of close allies, including Kwasi Kwarteng as chancellor and James Cleverly as foreign secretary, with hardline right-winger Suella Braverman a supporter of withdrawal from the European Court of Human Rights becoming home secretary and Therese Coffey appointed the UK's first female deputy prime minister as well as taking the health brief.

Jacob Rees-Mogg was made business secretary after taking part in talks with energy companies on a package of measures to tackle the cost of living crisis, due to be unveiled tomorrow and expected to include a £2,500 price freeze for households costing £90bn, as well as additional help for businesses. One former minister told The Independent of fears that Ms Truss was creating a "cabinet of cronies", putting personal loyalty to her over the competence needed at a time of virtually unprecedented crisis.