How Michael Gove fought off his enemies and bounced back

Michael Gove has been reappointed Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing, and Communities by the new Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. The MP for Surrey Heath was fired from the same position in July just hours after he told Boris Johnson to resign from office. Now, Express.co.uk takes a look at how the Scotsman has bounced back over the years.   Michael Gove has bounced back into frontline politics after he was sacked by Boris Johnson in July (Image: GETTY) Boris Johnson and Michael Gove first met at University (Image: GETTY)Yet, all was not lost. The following year he was reappointed to Mrs May’s Cabinet as Environment Secretary alongside Mr Johnson who was had been made Foreign Secretary. It followed a row in the Home Office and the publication of confidential documents which attacked Mr Gove, and in an interview with Sky News in 2017, he said: ‘I was quite surprised, I have to say… I genuinely didn’t expect this role. I am delighted to be part of the Government, I am delighted to be able to support Theresa to ensure that we have a government capable of delivering on the people’s wishes.’Mr Johnson tweeted jubilantly in response to the news, writing: ‘It’s a GOVErnment of all the talents. Welcome back to Michael!’Fast forward to Mr Johnson’s time in office in 2019, Mr Gove was made Duchy of Lancaster. This had followed on from him once again entering into the leadership race against the former Prime Minister, which saw him being accused of ‘backstabbing’. Although he remained in the Cabinet, it was a less prominent role. READ MORE: Michael Gove in major comeback as minister appointed to Levelling Up Michael Gove was reappointed to Theresa May’s cabinet in 2017 (Image: GETTY) Liz Truss did not include Michael Gove in her Cabinet (Image: GETTY)Shortly after, however, he managed another step-up when he was made ‘Levelling Up’ Secretary – the role he now has once again – in the 2021 reshuffle, replacing Robert Jenrick. Since 2016, it was widely thought that Mr Gove and Mr Johnson’s relationship had improved, particularly over the course of the coronavirus pandemic as he remained loyal to the former Prime Minister, including during the Partygate scandal. But this was not to last. Their relationship hit the rocks once again when the 55-year-old privately told Mr Johnson to resign following mass resignations, including that of the then Chancellor Mr Sunak. Mr Johnson refused to step down, instead firing Mr Gove with No 10 sources saying he was sacked because he was a ‘snake’. He dismissed the comment in a later interview with the BBC, saying Mr Johnson had been both ‘equitable’ and ‘polite’, but he then announced his retirement from frontline politics in an article for The Times. DON’T MISS: Camilla deemed Kate Middleton ‘not worthy’ of royalty – claims [INSIGHT]Russia’s economy will ‘die by winter’ as Putin at ‘final countdown’ [ANALYSIS]Scottish boat sinks in North Sea after hitting ‘black spot’ – pictures [PICTURE] Michael Gove supported Rishi Sunak in the leadership contest against Liz Truss (Image: GETTY)Mr Gove – who backed Mr Sunak in the leadership race – appeared to lose Ms Truss as an ally after he publicly dissed her mini-budget as he described it as ‘profoundly concerning’, claiming he would vote against it. He was once again described as a ‘snake’, with one insider telling The Telegraph: ‘Gove is an absolute snake. The way he has treated Liz is absolutely appalling. She called him in last week and asked him to help and this is how he repays her.’Less than a month after making those comments, he is back in his old job as Mr Sunak claims to want to build a ‘united’ Conservative Party. Sources told The Telegraph that Mr Gove and the new Prime Minister are ‘more friendly’ in private than those on the outside might think. But Christine Hamilton told GB News on Tuesday that Mr Sunak was keeping his ‘enemies close’, and added: ‘You need to keep Gove where you can see him, and you need to keep his hands on the table where you can see them.’