David Gauke - who was the Treasury chief secretary and has always been regarded as one of the Government's strongest performers - was promoted to take over at the Department for Work and Pensions.
Mrs May is trying to shore up support after the Conservatives' humiliating result in the snap general election on Thursday, when they lost 12 seats and their Commons majority.
Former Chancellor George Osborne called her a "dead woman walking" while other former minister said her position was "untenable" and she would never lead the party into another General Election.
The Prime Minister's decision to include Gove in her Cabinet is self-serving: drafting in a Brexiteer to defend the hard and dirty Brexit the public rejected last week.
The Former work and pensions secretary has been moved to the Cabinet Office - but crucially will also become the First Secretary of State.
Michael Gove replaces Andrea Leadsom, who has shifted sideways to become leader of the House of Commons. He is now being kept busy in Belfast conducting negotiations with the Democratic Unionists on supporting a minority Conservative Government.
The job is effectively second-in-command to the prime minister.
British Prime Minister Theresa May today appointed her close ally and long-time friend Damian Green as her first secretary of state as she unveiled her new Cabinet after the shock election results threw up a hung Parliament, forcing her to form a minority government.
Maha govt announces loan waiver; farmers call off protests
Last week, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had offered a conditional waiver, but the offer was spurned. Fadnavis has now agreed to increase the price of milk to at least 70 per cent in favour of the farmers.
Under Mr Cameron, Mr Gove was a reforming Education Secretary until he was demoted to Chief Whip after clashing with the education establishment, then elevated to Justice Secretary.
Speaking about her choices for the Cabinet, May said: "I have brought in talent from across the whole of the Conservative party".
Gove, a vocal Brexit campaigner, told Sky News he was "surprised" by the appointment.
Meanwhile, green groups will welcome the news that BEIS Secretary Greg Clark has been listed among the ministers that will remain in their roles in what was a reshuffle of just a handful of cabinet members.
Barwell studied physics at Cambridge and previously served as Lord Commissioner of the Treasury and last July was appointed Minister for Housing.
However, in another appointment relevant to the air quality policy portfolio, Chris Grayling will stay on as Transport Secretary, a job he has held since 2016.
Liam Fox holds on to his job despite a series of slip ups in his role as ambassador for United Kingdom trade around the world ahead of the need for deals with other countries when Britain leaves the EU.
No 10 said that James Brokenshire would be continuing as Northern Ireland Secretary.
Comments