Football referee Chris Heaton-Harris has been appointed the new Chief Whip in a bid to stop Tory backbenchers blowing full time on Boris Johnson’s premiership.
An ally of the Prime Minister, he takes over from Mark Spencer and will attend Cabinet.
Mr Spencer, who has been criticised for his handling of discipline among MPs, was axed as Chief Whip in Mr Johnson’s mini-reshuffle on Tuesday.
It comes as the Prime Minister struggles to maintain control of the Tory parliamentary party, with some MPs putting in letters of no confidence in the wake of the partygate scandal.
Mr Heaton-Harris is an active and qualified football referee and has been officiating the game at different levels for over 32 years.
The Conservative MP for Daventry currently referees on the Northamptonshire Combination League and is President of Earls Barton Football Club.
His predecessor Mr Spencer takes on the Leader of the House of Commons role, a position previously held by Jacob Rees-Mogg who has been appointed Minister for Brexit Opportunities and Government Efficiency.
Some MPs were said to be disgruntled that Mr Spencer had been made leader of House while under investigation for comments allegedly made to Tory MP Nusrat Ghani regarding her Muslim faith.
The PM announced an inquiry last month into claims by Ms Ghani that when she lost her job as a minister she was told it was partly because of concerns about her “Muslimness”.
Deputy Chief Whip Stuart Andrew also lost his role and was moved to the position of Housing Minister.
In another move it was announced Michael Ellis will attend Cabinet after having the role of Minister for the Cabinet Office added to his existing post as Paymaster General.
The announcements came as the Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle delivered a fresh rebuke to Mr Johnson over his smear that Sir Keir Starmer failed to prosecute Jimmy Savile when he was director of public prosecutions.
