Boris Johnson appointed new cabinet moments before he resigned as prime minister

Boris Johnson appointed new cabinet members after several quit - just moments before he stepped down himself as prime minister.

The PM started making the appointments less than an hour before he announced his resignation at 12.30pm on Thursday, and revealed he will be staying on until another Tory leader has been chosen.

Mr Johnson was insistent he will carry on with businesses as normal, saying in his resignation speech: "I've today appointed a cabinet to serve, as I will, until a new leader is in place."

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The new cabinet met just a couple of hours later. They include Nadhim Zahawi, who told Mr Johnson he had to go after he was made chancellor on Tuesday evening following Rishi Sunak's resignation.

During the meeting Mr Johnson told his cabinet his priority is "to continue delivering on manifesto pledges" and made clear the government would "not seek to implement new policies or make major changes of direction".

Greg Clarke was the first appointment late on Thursday morning as he was made levelling up secretary, replacing Michael Gove who Mr Johnson fired the day before for telling him he had to go.

Mr Clarke is the former business secretary under Theresa May and previously challenged Mr Johnson on Brexit.

Kit Malthouse, deputy mayor for policing when Mr Johnson was Mayor of London, was then appointed chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.

The role was previously Steve Barclay's, who was moved to health secretary after Sajid Javid kicked off the avalanche of resignations on Tuesday evening.

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James Cleverly was appointed as education secretary after Michelle Donelan quit just 48 hours into the job after Nadhim Zahawi was moved to chancellor following Rishi Sunak's resignation.

A former leadership hopeful who then backed Mr Johnson, Mr Cleverly has been promoted from Europe and North America minister.

Sir Robert Buckland was then appointed as Wales Secretary, taking over from Simon Hart who quit on Wednesday after joining a delegation of cabinet ministers who went to Downing Street to tell Mr Johnson to go.

Sir Robert, who is Welsh but is MP for South Swindon, was prisons minister and before that was solicitor general for England and Wales.

Shailesh Vara has become the new Northern Ireland Secretary after Brandon Lewis stepped down on Thursday morning following a lengthy meeting in Downing Street.

Andrew Stephenson, who was transport minister, has been appointed minister without portfolio and will attend cabinet.