Jacob Rees-Mogg handed key new Brexit role as Boris Johnson conducts ministerial reshuffle

• Boris Johnson has carried out a mini-reshuffle, handing Jacob Rees-Mogg a new Brexit job.
• Chris Heaton-Harris is the new chief whip, while Chris Pincher, favourite for the role, is deputy.

Boris Johnson has handed Jacob Rees-Mogg a key new Brexit role as part of a mini-reshuffle designed to reinvigorate his faltering premiership.

Rees-Mogg has been promoted from leader of the House of Commons to take on a new brief as minister for Brexit opportunities. He will continue to attend Cabinet.

Mark Spencer has been demoted as chief whip, taking on Rees-Mogg's vacated leader role.

However in a surprise move, Christopher Pincher was overlooked for the chief whip role, despite having been running Number 10's shadow whipping operation in recent weeks.

Instead Chris Heaton-Harris has taken the reins, moving from his brief as Europe minister, with Pincher being named his deputy.

Stuart Andrew took on Pincher's role as housing minister and Wendy Morton became a transport minister.

Insider reported in January that Johnson planned to "purge" his whips' office — which contains MPs who enforce party discipline within the party — in a bid to cling onto power.

The prime minister has faced weeks of damaging headlines over parties held in Downing Street during lockdown which have prompted at least 10 Conservative MPs to submit letters of no-confidence in his leadership.

Spencer had faced calls to resign since a botched attempt to save Owen Paterson, an MP who had been suspended from the House of Commons for lobbying.

He also identified himself as the individual who told Nus Ghani she had lost her ministerial role in the 2020 reshuffle because of her "Mulimness".

Johnson made the changes as he tries to reset his relationship with Conservative backbenchers after weeks of turbulence stemming from Downing Street.

Five of his aides left their posts last week, including his chief of staff Dan Rosenfield. Steve Barclay was appointed to replace Rosenfield while retaining his role as an MP and as Cabinet Office minister.

Some of Tuesday's appointments were designed to carve up Barclay's role so he can dedicate his time to the consuming new position. Michael Ellis was appointed as a Cabinet minister — a role which Barclay also retains — while Heather Wheeler became a parliamentary secretary in the Cabinet Office, an unpaid role.