New UK PM Johnson sacks Jeremy Hunt as foreign minister
New British Prime Minister Boris Johnson sacked foreign minister Jeremy Hunt on Wednesday, as he prepared to replace most of the cabinet. Hunt, who had been Johnson's rival for the top job, tweeted that he was "kindly" offered another role but turned it down to become one of more than a dozen cabinet ministers heading out the door, some of them voluntarily.
- World
- Reuters
- Published Date: 08:28 | 24 July 2019
- Modified Date: 08:28 | 24 July 2019
British foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt said on Wednesday he was quitting the government after new prime minister and recent leadership rival Boris Johnson asked him to take a different ministerial role.
"I would have been honoured to carry on my work at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office but understand the need for a new PM to choose his team," Hunt said.
"Now is the time to return to backbenches from where PM will have my full support," Hunt wrote on Twitter.
A series of ministers from Theresa May's government have quit or been sacked since Johnson took office earlier on Wednesday vowing to leave the European Union on Oct. 31 regardless of whether he can reach any exit deal.