Cameron reshuffles with manifesto in hand

Slideshow: David Cameron's new cabinet Sajid Javid has been appointed business secretary and Amber Rudd becomes energy secretary as David Cameron reshuffles his top team after the Conservative election victory.

Boris Johnson, who remains mayor of London until 2016, has not become a minister but he will attend political cabinet.

The reshuffle has been prompted by the departure of five Liberal Democrat ministers including Vince Cable, Ed Davey and Nick Clegg, and the creation of an all-Tory cabinet.

Mr Javid, who was culture secretary, is on the right and has been mentioned as a potential future party leader.

Ms Rudd, a former parliamentary private secretary to George Osborne, the chancellor, is widely considered to be in the philosophical mainstream of the party.

John Whittingdale, a eurosceptic former chairman of the culture select committee and vice-chairman of the backbench 1922 committee, replaces Mr Javid as culture secretary. Mr Whittingdale was quoted as saying in 2013 that the BBC licence fee was worse than the poll tax and unsustainable in the long term.

Baroness Stowell, leader of the House of Lords, was promoted to a full post in the cabinet.

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Among secretaries of state retaining their jobs are Liz Truss, Justine Greening, Jeremy Hunt, Patrick McLoughlin and Theresa Villiers, who will oversee environment, international development, health, transport and Northern Ireland, respectively. Eric Pickles has been replaced as communities and local government secretary by Greg Clark.

Anna Soubry becomes minister of state responsible for small business and will attend cabinet meetings.

Greg Hands will also attend cabinet meetings in his new role as chief secretary to the Treasury, a position previously held by the Liberal Democrats' Danny Alexander.

The elevation of Mr Johnson will raise questions over whether he would have to resign in protest if the government decides to go ahead with a new runway at Heathrow airport, which he strongly opposes. A decision is expected in the summer soon after the publication of the Davies Commission report into runway capacity, which is likely to recommend the project.

David Cameron on Monday was met with thunderous cheers and foot stamping as he addressed his MPs at a meeting of the 1922 committee.

The prime minister, speaking to reporters outside the meeting room, said he would deliver all the pledges in the Conservative manifesto - he was brandishing a copy in his hand - and spoke of his desire to lead a government of "compassionate Conservatism" that brought the UK together.

The prime minister also indicated that his election success should strengthen his hand in the negotiations on EU reform. "We have got a mandate," he said. "It's going to be tough but we have a mandate."

Midway through his reshuffle, Mr Cameron promised to run a "ministry of all the talents" as he continued to assemble his new government.

He has promoted loyalists such as Ms Rudd but has also brought in flagbearers of the right of the party such as Mr Whittingdale.

Robert Halfon, an Essex MP who led a campaign for lower fuel taxes, is made deputy chairman of the party in a sign of Mr Cameron's determination to pursue "blue-collar conservatism".

The prime minister told reporters he knew the Tories had won when they held Nuneaton - describing it as the equivalent of Basildon in John Major's 1992 victory. But he also admitted that YouGov's daily deadlocked polls had been a source of frustration to him during the campaign. "I am going to sue them for my ulcers," he joked.

The Conservatives won a 12-seat majority in the Commons in Thursday's election with 331 seats out of 650. Labour slumped from 258 to 232 seats, prompting the immediate resignation of Ed Miliband as leader.

The Parliamentary Labour party will meet on Monday evening as Harriet Harman, acting leader, warns against a "blame game" over its defeat.

Ms Harman filled the depleted ranks of the shadow cabinet on Monday.

Chris Leslie, who had been shadow chief secretary to the Treasury, will replace Ed Balls as shadow chancellor.

Ms Harman has chosen seasoned politician Hilary Benn to replace Douglas Alexander as shadow foreign secretary.

Both appointments will be temporary until a newly elected leader chooses a shadow cabinet.

Ms Harman also needs to replace other frontbenchers who have lost their seats, such as Gregg McClymont, who had the pensions brief, and Tom Greatrex, who covered energy.

Separately Labour suffered a blow when Lord Sugar, one of the UK's highest-profile entrepreneurs, quit the party, citing its anti-business stance in the run-up to last week's general election.

The appointment of Mr Whittingdale will be seen as a salvo against the BBC. This is already a sensitive time for the broadcaster because its royal charter - which sets out the corporation's terms of business - will be renewed next year.

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