Cameron Denies 'No-Change' Reshuffle

David Cameron has defended himself against claims his economic policies have "spectacularly failed" and that his reshuffled Cabinet contains "the same old faces".

The Prime Minister faced Labour leader Ed Miliband at the first Prime Minister's Questions session since MPs' summer recess, before the new Cabinet held its inaugural meeting in Downing Street.

Mr Cameron had said the reshuffled Cabinet would "cut through the dither that holds this country back".

But Mr Miliband said of the Prime Minister: "If he really wants to cut through the dither, there's no place like home.

"After the summer, we now know that in his whole two-and-a-half years as Prime Minister, the British economy has not grown at all.

"The real problem is this; Plan A has spectacularly failed.

"He left in place the part-time Chancellor, that the whole country knows should be sacked. It's the same old faces, the same old policies, a no-change reshuffle."

Mr Cameron told the House: "The fact is, inspite of all the economic difficulty, this is a strong and united government and inspite of all the opportunity, this is a weak and divided opposition."

The PM has also come under attack since his reshuffle for moving Heathrow third runway opponent Justine Greening from the Department for Transport , a change condemned by London Mayor Boris Johnson.

The PM completed his reshuffle with appointments to the middle and junior ranks that were more radical than his changes to the Cabinet.

Women from the 2010 intake who were appointed ministers include Helen Grant at Justice, Anna Soubry at Health, Liz Truss at Education and Esther McVey at Work and Pensions .

The PM has also responded to criticism from Tory backbenchers of Liberal Democrat Business Secretary Vince Cable by sending two economic hard-liners, Tory deputy chairman Michael Fallon, and George Osborne protege Matt Hancock, to give the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) a more pro-business edge.

Changes in the Government's middle ranks include appointing Mark Prisk as housing minister, Grant Shapps' promotion to Tory chairman and former immigration minister Damian Green's move to the post of minister for policing and justice.

Mr Shapps denied the reshaped Cabinet was a more right-leaning team.

"No, not really, " he told Sky News.

"People make a huge fuss about these things and actually, in truth, what you're looking for are the right people to do the job.

"What I would say is, it's a team that's more focused on getting the policies not just designed ... but actually implemented."

And Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg also insisted the coalition Government "remained anchored in the centre ground".

Answering questions at the Mulberry School for Girls in East London, he said: "Right from day one this government was anchored in the centre ground. We've got a coalition agreement which is there, which is a tablet of stone setting out what we are going to do.

"That is not going to change. I think the British people want us in the centre ground, they want us where the vast majority of British people are."

After two bruising years as Andrew Lansley's number two at Health, Simon Burns moves to the equally challenging job of transport minister, with the row over Heathrow expansion about to take off.

Mark Hoban moves from the Treasury to replace Chris Grayling as employment minister, Mark Harper, formerly a constitutional affairs minister, becomes immigration minister and Mike Penning is promoted from a junior transport minister to Northern Ireland minister, having served in the Army in the province before becoming an MP.

At the Ministry of Defence , Andrew Robathan steps up to Armed Forces minister, replacing Lib Dem Nick Harvey, to the fury of senior Liberal Democrat MPs.

The most controversial moves in Mr Cameron's Cabinet changes are the promotion of Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt to Health Secretary, replacing Andrew Lansley who becomes Commons Leader, and the removal of Heathrow Airport expansion opponent Justine Greening from Transport, a move seen as a signal that the Prime Minister is planning a U-turn on a third runway.

Condemning Ms Greening's removal , the London Mayor said: "There can be only one reason to move her - and that is to expand Heathrow airport.

"Now it is clear that the Government wants to ditch its promises and send yet more planes over central London."