South Northamptonshire MP Andrea Leadsom sacked in Boris Johnson's cabinet reshuffle

South Northamptonshire MP Andrea Leadsom was among the first to be sacked as Business Secretary in Boris Johnson's cabinet reshuffle.

The staunch supporter of the Prime Minister and leading campaigner for Brexit confirmed her exit from the Government in a tweet this morning (Thursday February 13).

Mrs Leadson, 56, said: "It has been a real privilege to serve in Government for the last six years, and in the Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy for six months.

"I now look forward to focusing on my constituents and on my 20-plus year campaign to see every baby get the best start in life.

"I’m particularly proud of my work in BEIS on net zero and the countdown to COP and on making the UK the best place in the world to work and to grow a business.

"I will continue from the back benches to work to ensure everyone is treated with dignity and respect."

Her replacement is international development secretary Alok Sharma, 39, who is MP for Reading West.

Mrs Leadsom, who has been South Northants' MP since 2010, joined the Government as Economic Secretary to the Treasury in 2014.

After winning the 2015 General Election with an increased majority she was promoted to Minister of State at the Department for Energy and Climate Change but campaigned strongly for the UK to leave the EU before and after the referendum in 2016.

She stood in the Conservative Party leadership race after David Cameron resigned as PM and was one of the final two candidates selected by Tory MPs but withdrew from the election.

Ms Leadsom quit her Government role in May 2019 in protest at Mrs May's Brexit stretegy and fought a campaign to replace Theresa May as leader –going out in the first round – before rejoining the Government as Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy in Johnson's Government.

She retained her South Northants seat with a whopping 27,761 majority in December's General Election.

Environment Secretary Theresa Villiers, Housing Minister Esther McVey and Northern Ireland Secretary Julian Smith were other high-profile sackings by the Prime Minister in his first major reshufle since the General Election.