LONDON • Mr Jeremy Hunt, who was named Britain's new Foreign Secretary on Monday, has earned a reputation as someone who is not afraid of a challenge after six years in charge of the notoriously unwieldy National Health Service.

Mr Hunt, 51, has taken plenty of flak as health minister for some controversial reforms to change doctors' working hours and pay that prompted large-scale demonstrations.

He served as culture minister between 2010 and 2012, when he successfully fought off accusations of improper dealings with Mr Rupert Murdoch's media empire. A Politico profile of him last year concluded that Mr Hunt "ticks the box to get the politically dangerous jobs done".

In Britain's EU membership referendum in 2016, Mr Hunt was a leading advocate for remaining in the bloc. But he has since said he now supports Brexit, criticising the EU's approach to negotiations as "arrogant" and "disappointing" in an interview with LBC radio last year.

In a weekly Cabinet meeting yesterday that welcomed new members, including Mr Hunt, Prime Minister Theresa May moved to reassert her authority after the resignations of Mr Hunt's predecessor Boris Johnson and Brexit negotiator David Davis. "Productive Cabinet meeting this morning - looking ahead to a busy week," she tweeted.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS