A DORSET MP has been appointed to a cabinet position following the resignation of Robert Jenrick as immigration minister. 

Michael Tomlinson, MP for Mid Dorset and North Poole, has been appointed as illegal immigration minister and will now attend cabinet. 

The KC’s former role as solicitor general will now be filled by Robert Courts, an MP for David Cameron’s old constituency in Witney, Oxfordshire. 

Mr Tomlinson said: “I am delighted to have been appointed minister in the home office to ensure this government is doing absolutely everything we can to stop the boats.

"We committed to it, and we will deliver it.

"So many of my constituents have told me this is a really important issue for them, and I’m honoured that the prime minister has asked me to sit round the cabinet table with a specific eye on this.”

Rishi Sunak carried out a mini-reshuffle on Thursday morning, splitting Mr Jenrick’s previous role into two. 

There is now Mr Tomlinson’s role as illegal migration minister and Tom Pursglove as legal migration minister. 

It comes following the dramatic resignation of Mr Jenrick who could not stand by his own draft bill on Rwanda. 

The draft bill compels judges to treat Rwanda as a safe country after the Supreme Court ruled the scheme was unlawful over risks to refugees. 

The legislation, which must be voted on by Parliament, gives ministers the powers to disregard sections of the Human Rights Act.

Published yesterday, the Rwanda Safety Bill was supported by Mr Tomlinson, as well as Mr Sunak, the chancellor of the exchequer Jeremy Hunt, deputy PM Oliver Dowden and presented by the home secretary James Cleverly.