Liz Truss becomes Justice Secretary in Theresa May's Government

Norfolk MP Liz Truss has been appointed Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice in the Government formed by new Prime Minister Theresa May.

The first woman to hold the office of Lord Chancellor, Ms Truss was Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs from 2014-2016 and Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education and Childcare from 2012-2014. A non-lawyer, she entered Parliament in 2010, before which she was deputy director at the right wing think tank Reform. She also worked in the energy and telecommunications industry for 10 years as a commercial manager and economics director, and is a qualified management accountant.

A Remain campaigner in the EU referendum, she succeeds Michael Gove, who failed in his bid for the Conservative leadership after he attacked his fellow Leave campaign leader Boris Johnson. Mr Gove has not been appointed to the new cabinet.

One key issue she will face is the Conservative promise to bring forward proposals for a British Bill of Rights, repeatedly delayed since the last election but likely to be a priority for Mrs May, who has frequently expressed her antipathy to the European Convention on Human Rights.