MPs return to Westminster for a week of re-shuffles, meetings and votes

MPs from all over the country will head back to Westminster on Monday morning, as Boris Johnson starts to put his new Conservative majority to work.

The prime minister is expected to start his week by freshening up his cabinet on Monday, with a mini re-shuffle of his top team to fill in any gaps left by departing colleagues.

Former culture secretary Nicky Morgan did not stand for re-election on Thursday, while environment minister Zac Goldsmith lost his Richmond Park seat to the Liberal Democrats.

It is thought that in February, once the UK has left the European Union, Mr Johnson will make more sweeping changes to his cabinet.

Mr Johnson will also meet his more than 100 newly elected colleagues on Monday, as he welcomes them to the House of Commons.

Many of the new Conservative MPs come from areas in the North and the Midlands – some of which have not had a Tory representative for decades.

He will welcome colleagues from seats such as Grimsby, Scunthorpe and Bolsover, which were gained from Labour in the election, helping give the prime minister his huge parliamentary majority.

On Tuesday, the swearing in of MPs will begin in the Commons, followed on Thursday by a “slimmed-down” state opening of parliament, where the Queen will set out the government’s legislative programme for the second time in three months.

It is also expected that Mr Johnson will use his bolstered majority to pass his Withdrawal Agreement Bill through parliament before Christmas.

During the election campaign, the prime minister said that all Conservative candidates had signed up to his deal, meaning it is likely the bill will pass when it is put before MPs later this week.

This will start the countdown to 31 January, when the UK is set to leave the EU.

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Across the house, the Labour Party will begin its come back from its heavy electoral defeat this week as the race to replace Jeremy Corbyn gets under way.

Mr Corbyn told constituents on Thursday night that he would be standing down in the near future, after his bruising election results.

Senior Labour figures have already begun positioning themselves, ahead of the process opening formally.

Allies of Mr Corbyn, such as shadow justice secretary Richard Burgon and shadow business secretary Rebecca Long-Bailey, are expected to throw their names into the ring in the coming days.

However, speaking to Sky’s Sophy Ridge on Sunday, ousted MP Caroline Flint launched a scathing attack on Mr Corbyn’s allies, saying their Brexit policy had cost the party the election.

There will also be around a dozen new Scottish National Party MPs joining Ian Blackford in the Commons, as they continue their push for Scottish independence in the aftermath of the election.

Despite party leader Nicola Sturgeon insisting she is pursuing the plan she had been elected on, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Michael Gove told Sky’s Sophy Ridge on Sunday that his party would “absolutely” rule out a push for another referendum on Scottish independence.

(c) Sky News 2019: MPs return to Westminster for a week of re-shuffles, meetings and votes