UK’s Johnson shakes up government with eye on early election

By JILL LAWLESS
Associated Press

LONDON (AP) — British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is finishing a major shakeup of his government. He is shuffling his team of middle-ranking and junior ministers on Thursday after making big changes at the top. Johnson appointed multiple women to ministerial jobs, a day after appointing Foreign Secretary Liz Truss. It is only the second time a woman has served as Britain’s top diplomat. Experts say the shuffle shows a Conservative government eager to move on from 18 months of pandemic disruption — and eyeing an early election. Britain is not scheduled to hold a general election until 2024, but the government changes suggest Johnson wants to go to voters at least a year sooner.