Sir Gavin Williamson is returning to Government, with the Rishi Sunak ally rewarded with a role in the Cabinet Office.

The former education secretary becomes a minister without portfolio in the Cabinet Office, as the new Prime Minister picked out a new-look administration as he took over from Liz Truss.

Sir Gavin was education secretary from July 2019 until September 2021 and is remembered for overseeing the exams fiasco in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Twice sacked as a Cabinet minister, he was seen as a key figure in the early stages of the Tory leadership campaign over the summer as Rishi Sunak sought to win over the support of MPs in his first attempt at becoming prime minister.

The new role could potentially give Sir Gavin, also a former defence secretary and chief whip, considerable influence in the heart of Government.

He is one of several eye-catching appointments made by Mr Sunak, as he seeks to unite all wings of his party after a fractious few weeks for the Conservatives.

During a lengthy career representing South Staffordshire, Sir Gavin was dumped as defence secretary following an inquiry into a leak from the National Security Council.