Michael Gove has made a sensational return to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) as part of new Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s cabinet reshuffle.

Mr Gove had announced his retirement from frontline politics after being sacked as levelling up secretary in the final days of Boris Johnson’s premiership last July.

However, he backed Rishi Sunak in the subsequent leadership race with Liz Truss and was widely tipped to be reinstalled at DLUHC after Truss’ demise and Sunak’s eventual rise to No 10.

Cllr Tim Oliver, chairman of the County Councils Network, said: 'Earlier this year Michael committed to providing financial certainty to the sector and we now want to work with him to deliver this. Investing in and empowering county authorities will go a long way to ensuring that local areas can boost economic growth and bolster England’s productivity in the long run, while ensuring that residents have access to excellent services and the most vulnerable are protected.'

Mr Gove, who has also be named minister for intergovernmental relations, replaces Simon Clarke who served in the role for exactly seven weeks under Ms Truss.

Announcing his departure as levelling up secretary on Twitter, Mr Clarke said it had ‘been a great privilege’.

He added: ‘It has only been while holding these positions that I’ve come to appreciate the full weight of responsibility that ministers bear, and we are deeply fortunate to be supported in this by our civil servants and special advisers.’

Mr Clarke also emphasised his ‘loyalty’ to prime ministers Boris Johnson and Liz Truss ‘to the last’ and appealed for unity under Mr Sunak.