Katy Balls Katy Balls

Who will replace Amber Rudd?

With Amber Rudd gone, talk has turned to who will replace her as Home Secretary. Downing Street has suggested that hacks should be on standby for an announcement later today. However, choosing a successor will be no easy task.

The bookies’ favourite is Michael Gove, the government’s resident eco-warrior who currently resides at Defra. However, this seems unlikely for two reasons. Firstly, up until now, May has always worked to preserve the Remain/Leave balance of her Cabinet. It follows that she’d ideally want to replace Rudd with a fellow Remainer. To upset the balance so close to crunch talks on the customs union would be a bold move. Secondly, Gove sits on a different end of the spectrum to May when it comes to immigration. As part of Vote Leave, the Brexiteer argued for a liberal immigration approach – at loggerheads with May’s tens of thousands target.

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