The new prime minister is expected to reward some of his loyalists (Pictures: Rex/PA/Reuters/AFP)
Rishi Sunak will soon reveal the Cabinet he will use to try and restore stability to the country amid economic chaos.
The prime-minister-in-waiting has promised to unite the Conservative Party, meaning he will probably make strategic appointments across the political spectrum.
So, who could be in and who could be out?
Chancellor
Jeremy Hunt is likely to stay in the Treasury – likely as the chancellor – as Mr Sunak’s biggest priority will be reassuring the markets.
The politician has already started doing this, after he was brought in to steady Ms Truss’s ailing government.
Mr Hunt has been working on a highly anticipated fiscal statement which is set to be unveiled on October 31.
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Mr Sunak will not want to bring any changes or delays to this in the name of stability.
Of course, it also helps that Mr Hunt has backed the new PM.
Jeremy Hunt is seen as someone who can reassure the markets (Picture: PA)
Home secretary
Dominic Raab has been an early and consistent supporter of Mr Sunak and will be expecting to have his loyalty rewarded.
The former deputy prime minister was dubbed as someone who ‘couldn’t have been more helpful’ during both leadership contests, by allies quoted in The Times.
As a previous justice secretary, Mr Raab had long pursued a plan to overhaul the Human Rights Act – only to see it shelved by Liz Truss after she entered office.
He will want a role in the Cabinet which will allow him to see out priorities such as this.
Dominic Raab has long backed Rishi Sunak (Picture: Getty)
Grant Shapps might be staying on as home secretary (Picture: 10 Downing Street)
Grant Shapps currently holds the position after Suella Braverman resigned just last week, and some are saying Mr Sunak is considering keeping him on.
Either way, Mr Shapps – also a loyal Sunak supporter – will almost certainly remain in the Cabinet.
Foreign secretary
Penny Mordaunt, currently the leader of the House of Commons, could replace James Cleverly as foreign secretary.
She pulled out of the race to be the next Tory leader at the last moment – allowing Mr Sunak to be crowned as Ms Truss’s replacement.
Giving Penny Mordaunt a senior role would help to unite the party (Picture: Getty)
Promoting Ms Mordaunt, who still has multiple enthusiastic backers, would go a long way to unite the party.
She has reportedly spoken about wanting the top role before.
Justice secretary
Suella Braverman, whose endorsement is believed to have helped push Boris Johnson out of the Tory leadership race, is reportedly in line to be made justice secretary.
She is another figure whose appointment would help bring Tories together – as the right wing of the party support her.
Suella Braverman could bring in the right wing of the party (Picture: Shutterstock)
Other roles
Mel Stride, a long-time backer of Mr Sunak and the Commons Treasury Committee chair, was a thorn in the side of Ms Truss and Kwasi Kwarteng.
He could now be in line for a key role in the Sunak administration – possibly in the Treasury.
Mr Sunak may even extend an olive branch to Boris Johnson, by offering him a role – but it is an open question as to whether he would accept.
The former prime minister pulled out of the race to replace Ms Truss on Sunday.
He said: ‘I believe I have much to offer but I am afraid that this is simply not the right time.’
Mel Stride may be given a senior position in the Treasury (Picture: PA)
The former PM may be offered a role in an olive branch from Mr Sunak (Picture: Getty)
Defence secretary Ben Wallace could be kept on in the name of stability, and as an experienced pair of hands who has overseen the UK’s efforts in support of Ukraine.
But Mr Wallace has pushed for an increase in defence spending, and this could clash with Mr Sunak and Mr Hunt’s desires to cut expenses.
He is also seen as a Boris Johnson loyalist.
Who could go?
Therese Coffey, the current deputy PM, is a close friend and ally of Ms Truss. She threw her support behind Mr Sunak on Monday but there are no signs she will be kept on as health secretary.
Business secretary Jacob Rees-Mogg is one of the most vocally loyal backers of Boris Johnson in the party.
Despite getting on board with Mr Sunak’s leadership – in the name of ‘party unity’ – he has previously called the former chancellor a ‘much-lamented socialist’.
Although Mr Rees-Mogg supported Mr Sunak at the last minute, he has not been a fan in the past (Picture: PA)
Keeping Mr Rees-Mogg in a senior position might be another way to bring in the right wing of the Conservatives but the fracking enthusiast may find himself moved from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.
Wendy Morton, the government chief whip and Truss loyalist, is highly likely to be moved on.
Her efforts in maintaining party discipline were heavily criticised in recent days, particularly over Labour’s motion on fracking – where MPs were allegedly bullied and manhandled into voting in favour of Ms Truss.
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The new PM will have to be strategic in order to unite the party as promised.
