'I've seen a few delivery rooms': PM jokes about having several children at maskless Cabinet meeting

Boris Johnson joked about the number of delivery rooms he has seen. Credit: PA

Boris Johnson has joked with his new-look Cabinet as he held the first meeting of top ministers since he overhauled government with a wide-ranging reshuffle.

He told a room of senior Tories that he was delivering a "half-time pep talk" for levelling-up the country and urged them to redouble their efforts in their new roles.

"This is the moment when we spit out the orange peel, we adjust our gum shields and our scrum caps," he said.

"And we get out on to the pitch in the knowledge that we're going to have to do it together and we're going to have to do it as a team."

More moves ahead as PM continues 'brutal' top team reshuffle
Cabinet reshuffle: Labour scrutinises Liz Truss as new foreign secretary
The PM leads the first new-look Cabinet meeting.

It was an up-beat Cabinet meeting with Mr Johnson making jokes and using metaphors, however it may have been uncomfortable for former foreign secretary Dominic Raab to sit beside his replacement Liz Truss.

But one joke about the prime minister's numerous children had the whole room laughing.

"I'm just thinking about delivery, I've seen a few delivery rooms, probably seen as many delivery rooms as anybody in this room... apart from the exception of Jacob (Rees-Mogg)," he said.

"I know that delivery normally involves a superhuman effort by at least one person in the room. But there are plenty of other people in that room who are absolutely indispensable to that successful outcome."

Mr Johnson's wife Carrie is pregnant with their second child but he refuses to say how many children he has, while Mr Rees-Mogg has six children.

PM: 'I've seen a few delivery rooms, probably seen as many delivery rooms as anybody...'

Social media users were angry to see how none of those in attendance were wearing a face covering, despite recent government guidance around using them.

The advice states masks should be considered when in crowded indoor settings with people they don't normally meet.

The government has on numerous occasions, including after PMQs, justified Tories choosing not to wear masks, saying they are not necessary because the MPs meet each other regularly.

Notable absentees at the Cabinet meeting were former education secretary Gavin Williamson, who was replaced by Nadhim Zahawi, and Robert Jenrick and Robert Buckland who were also removed from government.

The PM is expected to make further changes to his Cabinet on Friday, with a number of junior ministerial appointments likely to be made.

Boris Johnson's new-look Cabinet in full (so far):

- Treasury:

  • Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak

  • Chief Secretary to the Treasury Simon Clarke

  • Financial Secretary to the Treasury Lucy Frazer

  • Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury Helen Whately

- Foreign Office

  • Foreign Secretary Elizabeth Truss

  • Minister of State in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Amanda Milling

  • Minister of State at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, jointly with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Kemi Badenoch

  • Parliamentary Under Secretary of State Vicky Ford

- Home Office

  • Home Secretary Priti Patel

  • Minister of State Kit Malthouse

  • Minister of State, and Minister for Security and Borders Damian Hinds

  • Parliamentary Under Secretary of State Rachel Maclean

- Cabinet Office:

  • Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office Stephen Barclay

  • Minister of State Lord David Frost

  • COP26 President Alok Sharma

  • Minister without Portfolio Oliver Dowden

  • Minister of State Nigel Adams

  • Paymaster General Michael Ellis

- Ministry of Justice

  • Deputy Prime Minister, Lord Chancellor, and Justice Secretary Dominic Raab

  • Minister of State Kit Malthouse (jointly with the Home Office)

  • Minister of State, and Minister for the Afghan resettlement scheme and Operation Warm Welcome Victoria Atkins

  • Parliamentary Under Secretary James Cartlidge

  • Parliamentary Under Secretary of State jointly at the Home Office and the Ministry of Justice Tom Pursglove

- Ministry of Defence

  • Secretary of State for Defence Ben Wallace

- Department for International Trade

  • Secretary of State for International Trade, and President of the Board of Trade Anne-Marie Trevelyan

  • Minister of State Penny Mordaunt

  • Parliamentary Under Secretary of State Mike Freer

- Department of Health and Social Care

  • Health Secretary Sajid Javid

  • Minister of State Gillian Keegan

  • Parliamentary Under Secretary of State Maggie Throup

  • Parliamentary Under Secretary of State Maria Caulfield

- Department for Work and Pensions

  • Work and Pensions Secretary Dr Thérèse Coffey

  • Minister of State Chloe Smith

  • Parliamentary Under Secretary David Rutley

- Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

  • Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng

  • Minister of State Greg Hands

  • Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, and Government Whip Lee Rowley

- Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government

  • Housing Secretary Michael Gove

  • Minister of State Kemi Badenoch

  • Parliamentary Under Secretary of State Neil O’Brien

- Department for Education

  • Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi

  • Minister of State Michelle Donelan

  • Minister of State Robin Walker

  • Parliamentary Under Secretary of State Alex Burghart

  • Parliamentary Under Secretary of State Will Quince

- Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

  • Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Secretary Nadine Dorries

  • Minister of State Julia Lopez

  • Parliamentary Under Secretary of State Chris Philip

- Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

  • Environment Secretary George Eustice

  • Minister of State Victoria Prentis

  • Parliamentary Under Secretary of State Jo Churchill

- Department for Transport

  • Transport Secretary Grant Shapps

  • Parliamentary Under Secretary of State Trudy Harrison

- Northern Ireland Office

  • Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis

  • Minister of State Conor Burns

- Scotland Office

  • Scotland Secretary Alister Jack

- Wales Office

  • Wales Secretary Simon Hart

- Office of Leader of the House of Lords

  • Lord Privy Seal, and Leader of the House of Lords Baroness Evans of Bowes Park

- Office of the Leader of the House of Commons

  • Lord President of the Council, and Leader of the House of Commons Jacob Rees-Mogg

- House of Commons Whips

  • Chief Whip Mark Spencer

Junior Lords of the Treasury

  • Government Whip (Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury) Lee Rowley

  • Government Whip (Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury) Amanda Solloway

- Law Officers

  • Attorney General Suella Braverman

  • Solicitor General Alex Chalk

- The following have left government

  • Gavin Williamson – previously education secretary

  • Robert Jenrick – previously housing secretary

  • Robert Buckland – previously lord chancellor and justice secretary

  • Nick Gibb – previously schools minister

  • John Whittingdale – previously culture minister

  • Jesse Norman – previously financial secretary to the Treasury

  • Caroline Dinenage – previously culture minister

  • Luke Hall – previously housing minister

  • Justin Tomlinson – previously work and pensions minister

  • Graham Stuart – previously a parliamentary under secretary at the Department for International Trade

  • James Duddridge – previously a parliamentary under secretary at the Foreign Office

  • Matt Warman – previously a parliamentary under secretary at the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

  • David Duguid – previously parliamentary under secretary at the Scotland Office, and Assistant Government Whip