WEST Devon MP Geoffrey Cox has been appointed a new role in Prime Minister Theresa May’s Cabinet re-shuffle, following a string of resignations.

Mr Cox was announced as the new Attorney General on Monday evening, replacing Jeremy Wright.

Mrs May was forced to carry out a re-shuffle of her top team after a number of resignations over her Brexit strategy left her government in crisis. The announcement came after Boris Johnson and David Davis both quit.

The Attorney General is chief legal advisor to the crown and has a number of independent public interest functions, as well as overseeing the Law Officers’ departments.

The official Twitter handle for the Prime Minister @10DowningStreet posted on Monday evening: ‘The Queen has been pleased to approve the appointment of Geoffrey Cox QC MP as Attorney General attending Cabinet. Her Majesty has been pleased to approve that he be sworn of Her Majesty’s most honourable Privy Council.’

Mr Cox has been the Conservative Party Member of Parliament for Torridge and West Devon for 13 years.

In his new role, Mr Cox will be in charge of overseeing the Crown Prosecution Service, the Serious Fraud Office, Her Majesty’s Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate and the Government Legal Department. His other responsibilities will include acting as principal legal advisor on questions of EU and international law, human rights and devolution issues; referring unduly lenient sentences to the Court of Appeal; bringing proceedings for contempt of court; intervening in certain proceedings to protect charities; dealing with questions of law arising on government Bills and legal aspects of all major international and domestic litigation involving the Government.

The Attorney General also holds the separate office of Advocate General for Northern Ireland.

Elsewhere in the shake-up, Jeremy Hunt replaced Boris Johnson as foreign secretary and Dominic Raab has been made Brexit secretary.