The Liz Truss government: Which West MPs are in and which are out?

Jacob Rees-Mogg is now the Business and Energy Secretary

Liz Truss' first Cabinet takes shape with no surprises, but there is a fair bit of representation from MPs in the West Country.

The North East Somerset MP Jacob Rees-Mogg stays in Cabinet but with a significant promotion - he is now the Business and Energy Secretary and will be a central role in deciding this Government's first major policy to help us pay our energy bills. Opponents, however, have questioned his commitment to green energy and tackling climate change.

Chippenham MP Michalle Donelan returns to cabinet as the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. She had been Education Secretary, for less than two days, under Boris Johnson when she joined the walkout of ministers that brought his time in Downing Street to an end.

This job is often seen as one of the more fun cabinet jobs, partly because it involves attending sport matches and premieres on behalf of the Government. However, it is also an increasingly important job as it takes charge of the Digital policy, both in terms of laws around policing the internet and the rollout of broadband across the country.

Michelle Donelan made headlines when she became Education Secretary for just two days

The South Swindon MP Robert Buckland keeps hold of his job as Welsh Secretary, he is from South Wales and is popular amongst Welsh activists, however, having an MP who represents a West Country seat as Welsh Secretary has attracted criticism.

James Heappey, the Wells MP, who has been the Armed Forces Minister for a few years keeps his job, but also gets responsibility for veterans affairs and sits around Truss' Cabinet table. He has won plaudits from across the political divide for his role in the withdrawal from Afghanistan last summer and for his commitment to supporting Ukraine.

He tells me he speaks to his Ukrainian counterpart pretty much every day. His seat around the Cabinet table can also be seen as a sign toUkraine that the UK will still be supporting the country against Russia.

George Eustice has been removed from his role

Amongst the reshuffle two of our MPs are out of Cabinet - George Eustice (Camborne & Redruth) has been sacked as Environment Secretary.

His job under Boris Johnson had been to develop the UK's post Brexit fishing and farming strategies. He's released this statement after his sacking:

“It has been a privilege to have been a Defra Minister for the past nine years, under three different Prime Ministers, including almost three years in Cabinet during the most challenging of times.  I will now offer scrutiny and advice from the backbenches."

Finally the Plymouth Moor View MP Johnny Mercer is out of Government too. He was given a job and a seat at Cabinet by Boris Johnson in July to take charge of veterans affairs - a job he pretty much designed. He now returns to the backbenches and has questioned the new Government's commitment to veterans.