LONDON (Reuters) - James Cleverly, the deputy chairman of the ruling Conservative Party, has been appointed as a junior minister in the Brexit department, replacing a lawmaker who quit in protest at the government’s strategy.

Cleverly will replace Chris Heaton-Harris who quit on Wednesday because he did not agree with the government’s decision to ask for an extension to Britain’s departure date from the European Union.

Cleverly has been appointed as the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Exiting the European Union.