Theresa May has appointed Gavin Barwell, the Croydon Central MP who lost his seat to Labour in the general election, as her new chief of staff.

Mr Barwell had clung on to his seat with a tiny 165-vote majority in 2015, but lost out to Sarah Jones on Thursday night by more than 5,000 votes.

The ex-housing minister had written a book about how to win a marginal parliamentary seat.

He replaces Nick Timothy and Fiona Hill, the double act who had been the Prime Minister's closest advisers.

Ms May is spending her weekend attempting to rebuild her top team and form a government.

Of Mr Barwell, she said: "He has been a first-class minister and is widely respected. He will bring considerable experience of the party to the post.

"As I said yesterday, I want to reflect on the election and why it did not deliver the result I hoped for. Gavin will have an important role to play in that. I look forward to working with him."

General Election 2017: Big beasts who lost their seats Show all 7 1 /7 General Election 2017: Big beasts who lost their seats General Election 2017: Big beasts who lost their seats Nick Clegg Picture By Darren O'Brien/Guzelian Picture Shows Former MP, Nick Clegg delivers a speech despite losing the Sheffield Hallam Seat. Labour candidate, Jared O'Mara (Front), defeats Nick Clegg to take the Sheffield Hallam seat. picture taken 08/06/2017 Darren O'Brien General Election 2017: Big beasts who lost their seats Gavin Barwell LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 07: Gavin Barwell MP arrives at Number 10 Downing Street on October 7, 2013 in London, England. British Prime Minister David Cameron announced a Government reshuffle today. (Photo by Oli Scarff/Getty Images) Getty General Election 2017: Big beasts who lost their seats Angus Robertson General Election 2017: Big beasts who lost their seats Nicola Blackwood PA General Election 2017: Big beasts who lost their seats Alex Salmond PA General Election 2017: Big beasts who lost their seats Rob Wilson Mandatory Credit: Photo by Geoffrey Swaine/REX (1096138i) Rob Wilson, Conservative MP for Reading Funeral of Murdered Student Asha Muneer at Rivermead Leisure Centre, Reading, Britain - 28 Jan 2010 Rex Features General Election 2017: Big beasts who lost their seats Ben Gummer Minister for the Cabinet Office Ben Gummer arriving at 10 Downing Street, London for the weekly cabinet meeting. PA

On Friday Number 10 confirmed the big five Cabinet posts would remain unshuffled.

Chancellor Philip Hammond, Home Secretary Amber Rudd, Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, Defence Secretary Michael Fallon and Brexit Secretary David Davis will keep their jobs.

Ms May is also trying to determine how her party will work with the socially-conservative DUP in order to gain leverage in Parliament.

It is understood that Government Chief Whip Gavin Williamson, who has been dispatched to Belfast for talks, may be offering the chance of a formal coalition to the DUP, meaning its MPs could be present in the Cabinet.