DAVID Cameron has removed Michael Gove from the Education Department to become "minister for TV" with a brief to promote the Government's message in broadcast interviews, as the Prime Minister shapes up to fight for a Conservative majority in next year's general election.

In the most dramatic reshuffle of his premiership, Mr Cameron also promoted Defence Secretary Philip Hammond to replace William Hague as Foreign Secretary after the surprise announcement last night that the former Tory leader was moving to become Leader of the Commons before quitting as an MP next year.

Treasury minister Nicky Morgan, 41, who replaces Mr Gove as Education Secretary, is expected to be one of a number of women and younger MPs being promoted by Mr Cameron, in a bid to counter perceptions that his Cabinet is too "male, pale and stale".

And Liz Truss becomes the youngest member of Cabinet at 38 after being appointed Environment Secretary to replace Owen Paterson, who ran into trouble over the failed badger cull and his handling of the winter floods, as well as antagonising green groups with his scepticism about man-made climate change.

Mr Gove's move to Chief Whip will be seen in Westminster as a demotion from a job in which he has shown a personal passion for free schools and stringent academic standards but has met fierce opposition from teaching unions.

Announcing his move, Mr Cameron said: "Michael Gove is Commons Chief Whip. He'll have an enhanced role in campaigning and doing broadcast media interviews."