Boston & Skegness MP reinstated to cabinet role in government reshuffle

Matt Warman, MP for Boston and Skegness, has returned to the government cabinet as a minister at the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport in Boris Johnson’s firefight reshuffle.

The Boston and Skegness MP has been named as a Minister of State at the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport in a new-look cabinet announced on Thursday – the same day the Prime Minister announced his resignation.

It is a role that Warman previously served, before a reshuffle last winter saw him removed as a digital minister, serving as parliamentary under-secretary of state for digital infrastructure for two years.

He will now be back with DCMS, helping Nadine Dorries with developmental strategy and policy.

The reshuffle comes at a crucial time for this government, as pressure from fellow Conservative MPs resulted in Boris Johnson announcing his resignation, albeit reluctantly.

Over 50 MPs resigned from cabinet roles in protest of Johnson’s leadership, just a month after he narrowly survived a no-confidence vote, which Lincolnshire’s MPs openly supported the Prime Minister in.

Louth and Horncastle MP Victoria Atkins

Louth & Horncastle MP Victoria Atkins, who was named minister of state at the ministry of justice at the same time Warman was sacked in September last year, resigned from her post on Wednesday, citing concerns over integrity and decency in this government.

She was then joined in resignation by Sleaford and North Hykeham’s Caroline Johnson and Grantham and Stamford’s Gareth Davies, stepping down as vice chair of the Conservative Party and Parliamentary Private Secretary at the Department of Health and Social Care respectively.

Gareth Davies, Grantham and Stamford MP, and North Hykeham and Sleaford MP Caroline Johnson. | Photo: Conservatives

Matt Warman is the only Lincolnshire MP to earn a role on the cabinet in this reshuffle, despite the staunch rearguard action of our county’s members of parliament to support Boris Johnson throughout numerous government scandals.

The full list of announced ministers in the reshuffle is:

• Rt Hon Greg Clark MP as Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
• Rt Hon James Cleverly MP as Secretary of State for Education
• Rt Hon Sir Robert Buckland QC MP as Secretary of State for Wales
• Rt Hon Kit Malthouse MP as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
• Shailesh Vara MP as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
• Andrew Stephenson MP as Minister without Portfolio. He will attend Cabinet.
• Johnny Mercer MP as a Minister of State (Minister for Veterans’ Affairs) at the Cabinet Office. He will attend Cabinet.
• Graham Stuart MP as a Minister of State at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
• Stephen McPartland MP as a Minister of State (Minister for Security) at the Home Office
• Tom Pursglove MP as a Minister of State jointly at the Home Office and the Ministry of Justice
• James Heappey MP as a Minister of State at the Ministry of Defence
• Will Quince MP as a Minister of State at the Department for Education
• Maria Caulfield MP as a Minister of State at the Department for Health and Social Care
• Paul Scully MP as a Minister of State at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities. He remains as Minister for London.
• Marcus Jones MP as a Minister of State at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
• Matt Warman MP as a Minister of State at the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
• Trudy Harrison MP as a Minister of State at the Department for Transport
• Edward Timpson CBE MP as Solicitor General

The Lincolnite has contacted Matt Warman about his decision to accept the cabinet role, but did not receive a reply by the time of publication.