The newly-selected British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will make his House of Commons debut on Thursday, after a cabinet cull that saw 17 ministers lose their jobs and hardline Brexiteers appointed to top roles.

After a meeting of the new cabinet, Mr Johnson will make a statement to MPs and face his first showdown with UK Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn.

Mr Johnson will then appoint middle-ranking and junior government ministers, in what is likely to be a further purge of Remainers.

His cull of Theresa May loyalists from the cabinet - and his rewarding of leading Leave campaigners with key posts - has provoked anger among many Conservative Party MPs.

In particular, there was a backlash over the sacking of the country's defence secretary - pro-Brexiteer Penny Mordaunt - after less than three months in the job.

She backed Mr Johnson's rival for party leader, Jeremy Hunt.

The biggest loser in Mr Johnson's cabinet re-shuffle was Mr Hunt, who finds himself on the backbenches just days after being a contender for party leader and prime minister.

Among the biggest winners was new Home Secretary Priti Patel - recalled less than two years after being sacked from her job as international development secretary for secret talks with the Israeli government.

Back in the job: Priti Patel arriving for a meeting with the new Prime Minister Boris Johnson at Downing Street in London | Image: Jonathan Brady/PA Wire/PA Images

Ms Patel also came under fire last December for suggesting food shortages in Ireland could be used to force a change to Britain's Brexit deal.

But perhaps the biggest winner was Brexit hardliner Dominic Raab, an early leadership contender who has been appointed as foreign secretary.

Mr Raab, who has just six months' cabinet experience as Brexit secretary last year, will also deputise for Mr Johnson.

While Jacob Rees-Mogg, chairman of the pro-Brexit European Research Group (ERG), moves from the backbenches to leader of the House of Commons.

He will now spearhead Mr Johnson's Brexit battles in parliament against pro-Remain MPs.

Within minutes of becoming prime minister, Mr Johnson committed what critics claimed was a gaffe - when he breached protocol by revealing his conversation with Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace.

Speaking to aides when he entered 10 Downing Street, just after his speech upon returning from the palace, he said the queen had told him: "I don't know why anyone would want the job."

Ahead of Mr Johnson taking office, several minister submitted their resignations - including Philip Hammond and David Lidington.