Downing St. He can be very proud of the job he's done and service he's given

Downing Street announced that Michael Fallon would remain in his job as defence secretary.

Two of May’s new ministers were MPs who have spent some years in the wilderness. David Davis was made minister for Brexit – officially known as secretary of state for exiting the European Union – six years after he resigned as shadow home secretary to re-fight his parliamentary seat in a protest over civil liberties.

Liam Fox, who left the post of defence secretary in 2011 following revelations that his close friend the lobbyist Adam Werritty had travelled with him on official business, was made secretary of a new ministry for international trade.





Hammond is seen as the ultimate safe pair ofhands in government: a hard-working, technocratic colleague who will happily and conscientiously take good care of tricky ministries.

But the MP for Runnymede and Weybridge since 1997 has also shown a slightly less loyal side, reportedly annoying David Cameron with warnings about military cuts as defence minister and with criticisms of gay marriage legislation.



Hammond, now 60, has worked his way up with efficient handling of some complex ministerial briefs. In opposition he shadowed as pensions secretary and chief secretary to the Treasury before beginning in government at the slightly more junior role of transport minister as the coalition deal gave the Lib Dems his old post.

Immediately in government he showed his populist side, declaring Labour’s mythical “war on motorists” to be over and proposing to increase the motorway speed