New Prime Minister Liz Truss has started making appointments to her Cabinet.

Having been asked to form a government by The Queen earlier in the day, the PM returned to Downing Street and started finalising who would take on the top jobs.

But as well as appointments, the evening has also seen a number of high-profile sackings.

Liz Truss annouces new cabinet members

Truss, who was announced as the new leader of the Conservative Party on Monday making her the Prime Minister, has given close friend Therese Coffey the job of Health Secretary.

Old-Etonian Kwasi Kwarting, another long-time ally of Truss, has been named Chancellor of the Exchequer.

And Number 10 has also confirmed James Cleverly will take on the role vacated by Truss, Foreign Secretary.

The new Home Secretary, taking over from Priti Patel, will be right-wing MP Suella Braverman, a former rival to Truss for the Tory leadership.

Wendy Morton has been appointed chief whip and will attend Cabinet, Downing Street said, and Ben Wallace has stayed on as Defence Secretary.

Elsewhere, Brandon Lewis has a double role, as Lord Chancellor and as Justice Secretary.

Nadhim Zahawi, who was Boris Johnson's Chancellor for 24 hours before calling on the former PM to resign, has been appointed Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, as well as minister for intergovernmental relations.

Penny Mordaunt, a former favourite in the Tory leadership race, has been made the Leader of the House of Commons, while Lord True was appointed Leader of the House of Lords.

Rossendale and Darwen MP, Jake Berry, has been made minister without portfolio and Alok Sharma was re-appointed as Cop26 President, Downing Street confirmed.

Cabinet members returning to the backbenches

Notable departures include former Transport Secretary Grant Shapps, who earlier confirmed he would be returning to the backbenches.

And Boris Johnson's Justice Secretary, Dominic Raab, also said he was leaving the Cabinet.

Before the announcements, in her first speech in the top job outside Downing Street, Truss said she was going to make Britain an 'aspiration nation', focussing on the economy, energy and the NHS.

Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden congratulated the new Prime Minister, saying: “I look forward to deepening the special relationship between our countries and working in close co-operation on global challenges, including continued support for Ukraine as it defends itself against Russian aggression.”