UK cabinet reshuffle promotes high profile Eurosceptics

United Kingdom Prime Minister David Cameron carried out a substantial ministerial reshuffle on 14-15 July 2014. William Hague, the UK Foreign Secretary (Foreign Minister) announced he would be stepping down from his post with immediate effect.

While there were a number of motivations for the reshuffle, commentators noted that the new Foreign Secretary, Philip Hammond was seen as a Eurosceptic, who had previously said that he would rather leave the European Union if the UK could not negotiate better membership terms.

One of the few remaining pro-EU members of the cabinet, Kenneth Clark, lost his ministerial post in the reshuffle.

It was also announced that Lord Hill, the leader of the House of Lords, was to be the UK's European Commissioner for the period 2014-2019.

The BBC's deputy political editor James Landale said Lord Hill was a 'hugely able technocrat' who was extremely loyal to David Cameron but was likely to be regarded as 'not eurosceptic enough' by many Members of Parliament.

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