PRIME Minister David Cameron last night put the finishing touches to his cabinet with key jobs for his Liberal Democrat coalition partners.
As well as Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, there were seats at the table for Lib-Dems Vince Cable and David Laws.
Mr Cameron’s key ally, George Osborne, was appointed Chancellor and former Tory leader William Hague also kept his brief from opposition, becoming Foreign Secretary in the new Government.
One of the more surprising appointments was Theresa May, who became only the second female Home Secretary.
Mr Cable became Business Secretary and Mr Laws was appointed Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Mr Osborne’s second-in-command.
In that role, former banker Mr Laws will carry a great deal of the burden for the public spending cuts required to reduce the UK’s record budget deficit.
Also confirmed were Conservatives Andrew Lansley as Health Secretary and Michael Gove as Education Secretary.
Liam Fox was made Defence Secretary and Kenneth Clarke was made the Justice Secretary and Lord Chancellor.
Patrick McLoughlin, the Tory chief whip while they were in opposition, will carry on as the Government Chief Whip.
Mrs May, who will also be women’s minister, was promoted from shadow work and pensions secretary to become only the second woman, after Jacqui Smith, to be Home Secretary – one of the three major offices of state.
Mr Cameron indicated a further two Lib-Dems will take positions in his senior ministerial team. It is understood Mr Clegg’s chief of staff Danny Alexander will be Scottish Secretary, while reports suggest former Lib-Dem home affairs spokesman Chris Huhne – a one-time Daily Post journalist – may take the energy brief.
Sources confirmed former Tory party leader Iain Duncan Smith would be the new Work and Pensions Secretary.
They also said Jeremy Hunt had retained his portfolio from opposition and would be appointed Secretary of State at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
Cheryl Gillan, the Tories’ shadow Welsh secretary in opposition, was appointed Welsh Secretary.
The new Northern Ireland Secretary is Owen Paterson, shadow secretary since 2007.
