LONDON — After one of the most brutal political reshuffles in recent memory, the new cabinet appointed by Prime Minister Boris Johnson of Britain met on Thursday to sign up to his hard-line pledge to complete Brexit — without any agreement if necessary and whatever the cost — in less than 100 days.
Mr. Johnson’s cabinet dispenses with around half the top team of his predecessor, Theresa May — a cull that shocked many with its scope and blunt political messaging.
The prime minister told the new cabinet that it was “wonderful” to see them assembled, adding, “We have a momentous task ahead of us, at a pivotal moment in our country’s history.”
“We are now committed, all of us, to leaving the European Union on Oct. 31 or indeed earlier — no ifs, no buts,” he said.
Mr. Johnson made the same promise outside Downing Street on Wednesday, and he has insisted that all members of his cabinet are signed up to that objective whether or not it means a damaging, potentially chaotic, no-deal exit.
But the purge of the cabinet seemed to go further, dispensing even with some longtime supporters of Brexit, like Penny Mordaunt, who lost her role as defense secretary, and Liam Fox, who had supported Mr. Johnson’s leadership rival, Jeremy Hunt, and was ditched as trade secretary. Mr. Hunt, who had been foreign secretary, also left, after refusing a demotion. He was replaced by Dominic Raab, a hard-line former Brexit secretary who resigned in November in protest at Mrs. May’s proposed withdrawal agreement.
Mr. Johnson’s reshuffle seemed intended to send a clear message to the European Union that his government meant what it said when it insisted that it would quit without any agreement if necessary. Optimists hope that this show of resolve might persuade the European side to offer the sort of concessions to Mr. Johnson that it has so far steadfastly refused to contemplate.
Some of Mr. Johnson’s allies say they have not given up hope of striking a deal in Brussels, and they express belief that an agreement is possible if both sides make concessions.
Those hopes depend on the European Union agreeing to renegotiate the withdrawal agreement, and there has been no sign of that so far. On Thursday, a spokesman for the European Commission, its executive arm, said, “We will not reopen the withdrawal agreement.”
Some commentators see in the makeup of Mr. Johnson’s new team a cabinet that is battle-ready for a general election, if the prime minister is blocked by Parliament from leaving the European Union without a deal.
The new cabinet also looked like a group assembled to combat the electoral threat from Nigel Farage, the leader of the Brexit Party, which advocates a total break from the European Union.
Sajid Javid was among the big winners in Mr. Johnson’s reshuffle. Mr. Javid, whose father, a bus driver, was an immigrant from Pakistan, took charge of the country’s finances as chancellor of the Exchequer.
Mr. Javid’s old job as home secretary was taken by the Brexit supporter Priti Patel, who resigned as international development secretary in Mrs. May’s government in November 2017 because she had held meetings with officials in Israel without informing cabinet colleagues.
Some lawmakers who have been less enthusiastic about Brexit survived, including Amber Rudd, the work and pensions secretary. And there was a reprieve for Gavin Williamson, who was blamed for leaking information while secretary of state for defense (a charge he denied) and was subsequently fired by Mrs. May. He returned as education secretary.
But Brexit supporters are in the driving seat. Michael Gove, who, together with Mr. Johnson, led the pro-Brexit referendum campaign in 2016, will be in charge of preparations for a no-deal exit.
And Jacob Rees-Mogg, who led the most hard-line group of Conservative lawmakers pushing for the European Union withdrawal, became leader of the House of Commons. Stephen Barclay remained as Brexit secretary.
Perhaps nothing illustrated Mr. Johnson’s desire to shake up the system as much as his decision to bring Dominic Cummings into Downing Street as an adviser. Mr. Cummings is the divisive strategist who helped plan the official Leave campaign’s tactics in the 2016 referendum.
Famously sharp-tongued, Mr. Cummings has described Mrs. May’s pursuit of Brexit as a “train wreck,” and he once called a former Brexit secretary, David Davis, “thick as mince and lazy as a toad.”
After three years during which Mrs. May tried to balance the diversity of opinion on Brexit among Conservatives, juggling hard-liners and those determined to stop a “no deal” withdrawal, Mr. Johnson’s change in tack was blunt and has horrified some in the party.
Though Parliament rejected Mrs. May’s Brexit deal three times, the legislature has also voted in nonbinding motions against a no-deal Brexit and a clash over the issue is certain.
By ejecting so many of Mrs. May’s team, Mr. Johnson has freed many of them to oppose a no-deal exit.
That has increased speculation about a general election, possibly as soon as the fall. There is also growing talk of a second referendum, fueled in part by statements from Mr. Cummings that the outcome of any repeat would mirror the first vote and reinforce the decision to leave.
Asked on Sky News what he thought about the new government, Nicholas Soames, a veteran Conservative lawmaker who is a grandson of one of Mr. Johnson’s heroes, Winston Churchill, replied, “Not a lot.”
“I won’t support a no-deal Brexit and nor will a very large number of people on my side in the House of Commons,” Mr. Soames said. “By firing a lot of very good senior cabinet ministers yesterday, he has created a whole wall of opposition.”
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