Grant Shapps has admitted Liz Truss’ time in office has been “turbulent” as he took over as home secretary on Wednesday evening.
His appointment came after Suella Braverman hit out at the prime minister and resigned from the post after admitting breaking security rules.
Shapps - like new chancellor Jeremy Hunt - backed Rishi Sunak in the leadership contest.
He has been one of the key MPs organising against Truss’ premiership behind the scenes.
Speaking outside the Home Office, Shapps said he would get on with his job “regardless of what’s happening otherwise in Westminster”.
“Obviously it has been a turbulent time for the government,” he said. “I accept the government has had a very difficult period.”
Braverman said she had resigned after breaking the rules by sending an official government document from her personal phone
But the former leadership candidate also notably attacked the “direction” of Truss’ government.
Braverman only became home secretary on September 6 when she was brought in to replace Priti Patel.
In the leadership contest she attracted significant support from the Brexiteer right of the party before it fell in behind Truss.
“I have made a mistake; I accept responsibility; I resign,” she wrote in a barely-coded dig at the prime minister whose disastrous mini-Budget sparked financial turmoil.
In her resignation letter, she added: “The business of government relies upon people accepting responsibility for their mistakes.
“Pretending we haven’t made mistakes, carrying on as if everyone can’t see that we have made them, and hoping that things will magically come right is not serious politics.
“It is obvious to everyone that we are going through a tumultuous time.”
She added she had “concerns about the direction of this government”, warning that ministers have “broken key pledges” to voters.