David Cameron finalises cabinet with more posts for Liberal Democrats

In a move that will help appease Lib Dem critics of the coalition, a veteran founding member of the SDP was appointed as a minister of state under Kenneth Clarke at the ministry of justice.
Lord McNally, the Lib Dem leader in the House of Lords, is a highly respected figure in the party after he broke with the Labour party in 1981 to join the SDP. McNally, 67, first made his name as head of Jim Callaghan’s political office in Downing Street between 1976-79.
The announcement that six Lib Dems would have the middle-ranking status of minister of state came after the coalition cabinet held its first meeting today. The cabinet agreed that ministers of all ranks would take a 5% pay cut as a modest first step towards cutting the costs of government by saving £300,000.
A subsequent pay freeze means £3m will be saved from the ministerial wages bill over the planned five-year life of the coalition.
The prime minister will take a £7,500 cut to take his salary to £142,500. Cabinet ministers, including the deputy prime minister, Nick Clegg, will take a £7,082 cut to take their salaries to £134,565.
Ministers of state will earn £98,740 while junior ministers, known as parliamentary under secretaries of state, will earn £89,435.
Cameron spent much of the day after the cabinet meeting appointing ministers to the middle ranks of his government. Tonight Downing Street announced the names of 27 ministers plus the solicitor general, Edward Garnier, and the Lords chief whip, Baroness Anelay of St Johns.
The six Lib Dems, who were appointed by Cameron in consultation with Clegg, showed that the deputy prime minister is carefully balancing his party members in government. Jeremy Browne, the MP for Taunton who first made his name as a Lib Dem press officer when Lord Ashdown led the party, was appointed as a foreign office minister. Browne is a strong supporter of the coalition.
His presence is balanced by the appointment of the welfare expert Steve Webb to the department of work and pensions, giving him the honour of being the only professor to sit in the government. Webb, who is on the left of the party, was once subject to a tirade by Clegg.
The Sunday Mirror reported Clegg as saying to the new Scotland secretary, Danny Alexander, on a flight in 2008: "Webb must go. He’s a problem. I can’t stand the man. We need a new spokesman. We have to move him. We need someone with good ideas. At the moment, they just don’t add up. But we need to keep him in the cabinet. As a backbencher, he’d be a pain in the arse, a voice for the left. And we can’t move him before the spring."
Other Lib Dem appointments include the veteran frontbencher Nick Harvey, who becomes minister for the armed forces; rising star Sarah Teather becomes an education minister and the former chief whip Paul Burstow becomes a health minister.
The Tory appointments were led by Damian Green who becomes immigration minister. There were six posts for former members of the Tory shadow cabinet who did not make it to the cabinet.
They are: Nick Herbert, who becomes a joint home office and ministry of justice minister with responsibility for the police; Lady Neville-Jones, security minister; Chris Grayling, work and pensions minister; Greg Clark and Grant Shapps, communities and local government ministers; and Theresa Villiers, transport minister.
Europe

Death toll from Russian strikes on Kyiv reaches 22

Next G7 leaders summit to take place at Evian in French Alps - Macron

Turkish and Russian Defense Ministers discuss Iran-Israel conflict

Drone drops colored package on Russian trade mission in Sweden
NEWS FEED
Nuclear deal with Iran is still possible: Trump says
Trump begins White House meeting on Israel-Iran conflict
Israel says continues to strike Tehran whilst intercepting missiles from Iran
Trump privately approved attack plans for Iran but has withheld final order
Samvel Karapetyan arrested for 2 months-UPDATED-1
'Iran’s regime could fall,' Trump says
Turkish Defense Chief: Increasing resistance power of Azerbaijan and Türkiye is not choice, but necessity
Iran-Israeli War -LATEST DEVELOPMENTS
Several injured in strike near police HQ, Iran says
UN chief 'alarmed' by Israel-Iran escalation
Air Force conducts new wave of strikes in western Iran
Iran's IRGC: In the 12th wave, long-range super-heavy Sejjil missiles were launched
Iran's state TV hacked, protest videos aired
Putin should end war in Ukraine before mediating in Middle East – Trump
Fahrettin Altun: Nikol Pashinyan will pay a working visit to Türkiye on June 20
Iran rejects sending delegation to Muscat
Iran confirms temporary internet restrictions
Iranian missiles land in Tel Aviv
Trump says not too late to negotiate with Iran
Chair of Azerbaijan’s Foreign Intelligence Service meets with Turkish Defense Minister
Amendment proposed to Azerbaijan’s Defense Law
Azerbaijani Parliament reveals agenda of its next session
Trump says Putin offered to mediate on Iran issue
Bonn session agenda approved with Azerbaijan’s mediation efforts
MEDİA: We strongly condemn Solovyov's statements and expect an apology
Armenia issues note to Russia over Solovyov's remarks
IAEA: Nuclear facilities in Natanz and Isfahan damaged, no harm reported to Fordow so far
Direct flights between Russia and US may resume by end of 2025
Trump says Iranians want to come to White House
Azerbaijan imports nearly $800 million worth of cars in 5 months
Azerbaijan reduces oil product exports by 14%
Israeli army is currently striking military facilities in Tehran -UPDATED-1
Azerbaijan’s foreign trade turnover increased by nearly 14%
Azerbaijan's Parliamentary Commission on Foreign Interference and Hybrid Threats issues statement on fake news
Israeli army strikes Iranian internal security headquarters in Tehran
65th Plenary Session of PABSEC started in Baku, Azerbaijan passed PABSEC chairmanship to Bulgaria -UPDATED2-1
Muharram begins in Azerbaijan on June 26
Georgian border guards foil attempt to smuggle 300 kg of heroin from Armenia
Turkish minister: Azerbaijan neighborhood will become one of the symbols of the construction of the century
Russian FM thanks Azerbaijan for support in evacuation of Russian citizens from Iran
Azerbaijani, Russian FMs discussed current security situation as a result of Israel-Iran conflict
Technical session of 29th IOTA General Assembly began in Baku
Russian Deputy PM: Oil price already reflects risks
Putin, UAE president voice concern over Iran-Israel escalation
President Ilham Aliyev to visit Türkiye tomorrow, inauguration of Azerbaijan neighborhood scheduled in Kahramanmaras
President Ilham Aliyev addressed the participants of conference dedicated to 20th anniversary of Judicial-Legal Council
International conference "Global Challenges in Judicial Administration" continues in Baku -PHOTO
Organizing Committee for the 13th UN World Urban Forum convenes its first meeting
Pyongyang-Moscow passenger train resumes after five years, operating twice monthly
Azerbaijan's Education Minister meets with Chinese delegation