Boris Johnson’s new cabinet is proof that the Conservative party has “been fully taken over by the hard right,” former Tory MP Nick Boles says.

In an outspoken attack, the now Independent MP accused the party he quit over the threat of a no-deal Brexit of “turning themselves” into a copycat of Nigel Farage’s new party.

Promotions for chancellor Sajid Javid and Priti Patel, the new home secretary – and once a death penalty supporter – added up to a cabinet of “Thatcherites and no-deal Brexiters”, he said

Mr Boles also turned his fire on leading former Remainers Nicky Morgan and Amber Rudd – now happy to serve Mr Johnson – who were “neutered captives”.

“They very recently passionately believed a no-deal Brexit was entirely unthinkable and would do immense damage to the British economy,” he warned.

“In order to secure those positions in Boris Johnson’s cabinet, they have signed up to a pledge that we will leave the EU on 31 October with no deal if necessary. If that’s not neutering, what is?”

Boris Johnson's cabinet: Who's in and who's out Show all 40 1 /40 Boris Johnson's cabinet: Who's in and who's out Boris Johnson's cabinet: Who's in and who's out In: Jacob Rees-Mogg Jacob Rees Mogg appointed Leader of the Commons AFP/Getty Boris Johnson's cabinet: Who's in and who's out In: Esther McVey Esther McVey appointed housing secretary AFP/Getty Boris Johnson's cabinet: Who's in and who's out In: Jo Johnson Jo Johnson appointed new business and energy secretary EPA Boris Johnson's cabinet: Who's in and who's out In: Brandon Lewis Brandon Lewis appointed immigration secretary Getty Boris Johnson's cabinet: Who's in and who's out In: James Cleverly James Cleverly appointed Conservative Party chairman PA Boris Johnson's cabinet: Who's in and who's out In: Baroness Evans Baroness Evans remains Leader of Lords PA Boris Johnson's cabinet: Who's in and who's out In: Julian Smith Julian Smith appointed Northern Irish secretary Reuters Boris Johnson's cabinet: Who's in and who's out In: Alister Jack Alister jack appointed Scottish secretary PA Boris Johnson's cabinet: Who's in and who's out In: Alun Cairns Alun Cairns remains Welsh secretary AFP/Getty Boris Johnson's cabinet: Who's in and who's out In: Grant Shapps Grant Shapps appointed transport secretary Getty Boris Johnson's cabinet: Who's in and who's out In: Alok Sharma Alok Sharma appointed international development secretary AFP/Getty Boris Johnson's cabinet: Who's in and who's out In: Robert Buckland Robert Buckland appointed justice secretary Getty Boris Johnson's cabinet: Who's in and who's out In: Amber Rudd Amber Rudd remains work and pensions secretary Getty Boris Johnson's cabinet: Who's in and who's out In: Robert Jenrick Robert Jenrick appointed housing and communities secretary AFP/Getty Boris Johnson's cabinet: Who's in and who's out In: Andrea Leadsom Andrea Leadsom appointed business secretary Reuters Boris Johnson's cabinet: Who's in and who's out In: Nicky Morgan Nicky Morgan appointed culture secretary Getty Boris Johnson's cabinet: Who's in and who's out In: Gavin Williamson Gavin Williamson appointed education secretary AFP/Getty Boris Johnson's cabinet: Who's in and who's out In: Theresa Villiers Theresa Villiers appointed environment secretary AFP/Getty Boris Johnson's cabinet: Who's in and who's out In: Liz Truss Liz Truss is appointed international trade secretary Reuters Boris Johnson's cabinet: Who's in and who's out In: Ben Wallace Ben Wallace appointed defence secretary EPA Boris Johnson's cabinet: Who's in and who's out In: Stephen Barclay Stephen Barclay remains EU secretary AFP/Getty Boris Johnson's cabinet: Who's in and who's out In: Dominic Raab Dominic Raab appointed foreign secretary AFP/Getty Boris Johnson's cabinet: Who's in and who's out In: Priti Patel Priti Patel appointed home secretary AFP/Getty Boris Johnson's cabinet: Who's in and who's out In: Michael Gove Michael Gove given Chandellor of the Duchy of Lancaster AFP Boris Johnson's cabinet: Who's in and who's out In: Sajid Javid Sajid Javid is appointed Chancellor of the Exchequer AP Boris Johnson's cabinet: Who's in and who's out Out: Jeremy Hunt Jeremy Hunt sacked as foreign secretary Reuters Boris Johnson's cabinet: Who's in and who's out In: Matt Hancock Matt Hancock remains health secretary AFP/Getty Boris Johnson's cabinet: Who's in and who's out Out: Chris Grayling Chris Grayling resigned as transport secretary Getty Boris Johnson's cabinet: Who's in and who's out Out: Jeremy Wright Jeremy Wright sacked as culture secretary PA Boris Johnson's cabinet: Who's in and who's out Out: Karen Bradley Karen Bradley sacked as Northern Ireland secretary Getty Boris Johnson's cabinet: Who's in and who's out Out: James Brokenshire James Brokenshire sacked as housing and communities secretary Reuters Boris Johnson's cabinet: Who's in and who's out Out: Penny Mordaunt Penny Mourdaunt sacked as defence secretary Reuters Boris Johnson's cabinet: Who's in and who's out Out: Liam Fox Liam Fox sacked as international trade secretary Getty Boris Johnson's cabinet: Who's in and who's out Out: Greg Clarke Greg Clarke sacked as business secretary PA Boris Johnson's cabinet: Who's in and who's out Out: David Mundell David Mundell sacked as Scottish secretary Getty Boris Johnson's cabinet: Who's in and who's out Out: Damien Hinds Damien Hinds sacked as education secretary Getty Boris Johnson's cabinet: Who's in and who's out Out: David Gauke David Gauke resigned as justice secretary EPA Boris Johnson's cabinet: Who's in and who's out Out: Rory Stewart Rory Stewart resigned as international development secretary Getty Boris Johnson's cabinet: Who's in and who's out Out: David Lidlington David Lidlington resigned as deputy Prime Minister PA Boris Johnson's cabinet: Who's in and who's out Out: Philip Hammond Philip Hammond resigned as Chancellor of the Exchequer AFP/Getty

“What it establishes beyond all doubt is that the Conservative party has now been fully taken over top to bottom by the hard right,” Mr Boles told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.

“They are basically turning themselves into the Brexit party in order to hold off Nigel Farage.”

As well as Mr Javid and Ms Patel, Mr Johnson also found prominent roles for hard Brexit-backers Dominic Raab, Andrea Leadsom and Theresa Villiers, with Michael Gove in charge of no-deal planning.

Controversially, he also brought in Vote Leave chief and admired campaigner Dominic Cummings as his chief-of-staff – in a clear hint that a general election is looming.

The appointments were widely seen as an attempt to unify the Brexiteer vote, undermining Mr Farage, while calculating that the Remain vote will stay divided.

Labour will not force a no-confidence vote today, preferring to wait until the autumn when it believes Tory rebels are more likely to join them and offer a genuine hope of victory.

John McDonnell, the shadow chancellor, predicted that “Boris comes back with something that’s undeliverable or unacceptable around Brexit”.

“And then you judge it in the conversations you’ll have across the House about what’s feasible and what’s not,” he said.

“You’ve got large numbers of [Tory] people who are going to be on the backbenches now, not particularly happy, and also I think quite shocked like the rest of us about how far Boris has gone.”