Communities secretary Eric Pickles will take on the duties of former faith minister Baroness Warsi, following the Tory peer's dramatic resignation yesterday.
Prime minister David Cameron announced the shake up this afternoon, handing Warsi's faith brief to Pickles.
Warsi quit the Government over what she described as a 'morally indefensible' policy on Gaza.
Pickles said he had 'enjoyed' working with Warsi and paid tribute to her efforts at the Department for Communities and Local Government.
At DCLG @SayeedaWarsi played an impt role in integration: helping unite people, tackling hate crime and commemorating the best of Britain
— Eric Pickles (@EricPickles) Augus t 5, 2014
A Downing Street spokesperson said: 'The Prime minister regrets that Baroness Warsi has decided to stand down and is grateful for the excellent work that she has done both as a minister and in opposition.
'Our policy has always been consistently clear - the situation in Gaza is intolerable and we've urged both sides to agree to an immediate and unconditional ceasefire.'
The communities secretary leaped into his new faith role almost immediately, tweeting:
This Govt is standing up for the role of faith in public life & actively supporting the good work of faith groups http://t.co/JcylGao9OC
— Eric Pickles (@EricPickles) Augus t 6, 2014
