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David Cameron, the Prime Minister, soon got used to the surprise of the Conservatives being returned in the general election with a majority of 12. He retained George Osborne as Chancellor of the Exchequer and made him First Secretary of State too. Theresa May, Philip Hammond, Michael Fallon and Iain Duncan Smith also stayed put, but Chris Grayling replaced William Hague, who had left the Commons, as Leader of the House, to be replaced as justice secretary by Michael Gove, who was replaced as chief whip by Mark Harper. Amber Rudd became Energy Secretary. John Whittingdale became Culture Secretary in place of Sajid Javid, who became Business Secretary. Boris Johnson was to attend weekly political cabinets. In a vacuum of any other effective opposition, Nicola Sturgeon, the leader of the Scottish National Party (though not an MP) became louder in her demands, calling for ‘priority devolution of powers over business taxes, employment, the minimum wage, welfare’.
At the Cenotaph on the 70th anniversary of VE Day, Ed Miliband and Nick Clegg joined the Prime Minister in laying wreaths shortly after announcing their resignations as Labour and Lib Dem leaders.
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