Reshuffle: Stourbridge MP Margot James promoted to Culture Minister
Margot James has been promoted to the post of Culture Minister as Theresa May looks to bring forward her rising stars.
The Stourbridge MP will work directly under Matt Hancock, who has been promoted to Culture Secretary.
Ms James had previously held the junior role of Minister for Small Business, Consumers and Corporate Responsibility.
Her brief includes broadband communications, heritage, creative industries, libraries, media, museums and galleries.
It came as Mrs May continued her reshuffle, which has also seen Wyre Forest MP Mark Garnier sacked as International Trade Minister.
Today the Prime Minister sacked a number of middle-ranking ministers, and faced accusations that some of her team were being 'hoofed out' because they are white and male.
Despite widespread criticism of the shake-up, newly-appointed Tory chairman Brandon Lewis - who replaced Sir Patrick McLoughlin - insisted the party is 'not quite' in a mess but admitted there was a 'job of work' to be done.
Mr Garnier lost his job just weeks after being cleared by an investigation into allegations of inappropriate behaviour towards a female member of staff, including asking her to buy a sex toy.
No 10 sources insisted the incident had nothing to do with his departure.
Alok Sharma was the first to be given a new ministerial job as day two of the reshuffle began, moving from housing to become Employment Minister.
Dominic Raab becomes Housing Minister.
Casualties in the latest round of the overhaul include Robert Goodwill, who lost his job as Minister for Children and Families, Ludlow MP Philip Dunne, who was removed as Health Minister, and John Hayes, who has left the Department for Transport.
Tory backbencher Philip Davies, who sits on the Commons Women and Equalities committee, said the reshuffle had created 'a legitimate concern that some people may feel they have been hoofed out or not promoted simply because they are a white male'.
He said: "It certainly does not do anyone any favours to promote people who are not ready for promotion just because of their gender or race."
Mrs May's Cabinet met for the first time since a misfired reshuffle of top jobs on Monday, which saw Justine Greening walk out as Education Secretary rather than accept a move to work and pensions, while Jeremy Hunt turned down the Prime Minister's offer of the business brief, insisting instead on an expanded health and social care role.
Jo Johnson, who was forced as Universities Minister to defend the controversial appointment of Toby Young to the universities regulator in an urgent question session in the Commons on Monday, has been made Transport Minister.
Greg Hands remains as Trade Minister.
Meanwhile Prisons minister Sam Gyimah has been made Minister for Higher Education, straddling the Department for Education and the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.
Caroline Dinenage has moved from the junior ranks at the Department for Work and Pensions to become a minister at the Department of Health and Social Care.
Stephen Barclay also joins the department after a stint as City Minister.
