JEREMY Hunt, MP for South West Surrey, has been named as the new foreign secretary - bringing to an end a record stint as Secretary of State for Health, the longest in the history of the NHS.

Mr Hunt’s appointment comes after his predecessor Boris Johnson resigned over the prime minister’s Brexit strategy on Monday, following Brexit Secretary David Davies in departing the cabinet.

In a series of Tweets following his appointment, Mr Hunt said: “Huge honour to be appointed Foreign Secretary at this critical moment in our country’s history. Time to back our PM to get a great Brexit deal - it's now or never...

”Massive wrench for me to leave health - I know some staff haven’t found me the easiest Health Sec but the NHS, and particularly patient safety, has become my passion & it really was the greatest privilege of my life to serve for so many years.”

On Culture Secretary Matt Hancock’s subsequent appointment as Health Secretary as part of Theresa May’s latest reshuffle of her top team, Mr Hunt added: “Couldn’t ask for a better successor than @matthancock to take forward long term NHS plan with his brilliant understanding of the power of technology. The new NHS app will be in safe hands!”

The MP for South West Surrey since taking over from Virginia Bottomley in 2005, Mr Hunt officially became the longest-serving Health Secretary in the history of the NHS in June - surpassing fellow Tory Norman Fowler’s 2,099 days spent in the post in the mid-1980s.

Mr Hunt succeeded Andrew Lansley as Secretary of State for Health on September 4, 2012, and survived numerous cabinet re-shuffles, a change of government and Tory party leadership - not to mention intense scrutiny - to serve in the post for 2,135 days.

Commenting on his longevity last month, Mr Hunt posted on Twitter: “Sometimes time has flown, at others it’s been achingly slow, but every second of last 5+ yrs has been a privilege. Thanks #NHS for being extraordinary in so many ways: much more impressive than a long serving Health Sec are the staff who have devoted 10, 15 or 20+ yrs to patients.”

More to follow, including local reaction, in this week’s Herald, on sale Thursday...