BREXIT turmoil saw Health Secretary and South West Surrey MP Jeremy Hunt promoted to Foreign Secretary on Monday night, following Boris Johnson’s shock resignation.

Mr Hunt, who officially became the longest-serving Health Secretary in the history of the NHS in June, told The Herald, it would be a “wrench” to leave.

He pledged to “continue to fight to improve” health services locally.

Mr Hunt said: “It is a huge honour to be appointed Foreign Secretary at this critical moment in our country’s history.

“ It is not going to be easy to get a good Brexit deal but we must honour what people voted for - and I will do everything possible to make sure that happens.

“ But it will be a wrench to leave health, which is a tough job I developed a huge passion for.

“NHS staff do a brilliant job in impossible circumstances and we are incredibly lucky to have such excellent health services locally.

“I will continue to fight to improve them as I know it is a critical priority for the people of South West Surrey.”

Mr Hunt was appointed Health Secretary on September 4, 2012, and survived numerous cabinet re-shuffles, a change of government and Tory party leadership - not to mention intense scrutiny - to serve in the post for 2,135 days.

The promotion of Mr Hunt, a Remainer who now says he would back Brexit, comes weeks after he secured a £20billion a year funding boost for the NHS to mark its 70th birthday.

Brexiteers have criticised Mr Hunt’s promotion, doubting his promise he will do “everything possible” to make Brexit happen (see Letters Page).

Catapulted centre stage, his first three days as Foreign Secretary, saw Mr Hunt attend the western Balkans summit in London on Tuesday, where Britain is looking to show its continued commitment to European security after Brexit.

On Wednesday, as the Herald went to press, Mr Hunt was expected to go to Brussels for the Nato summit where Donald Trump will push for Britain and other European nations to spend more on their defence.

Today (Thursday), the Foreign Secretary will be part of the team playing host to the US president as he visits Britain.

As Health Secretary, Mr Hunt was opposed in his constituency by the National Health Action Party’s Dr Louise Irvine in both the May 2015 and June 2017 general elections.

Gaining ground, she moved from finishing in fourth place in 2015, with 4,851 votes, to second place with 12,093 votes last year.

Responding to Mr Hunt’s move, Dr Irvine said: “Jeremy Hunt’s failure to take responsibility and act effectively has left the NHS in a worse state than when he started as Health Secretary.

“I’m not optimistic that he will be any different in his role as Foreign Secretary.

“Will I stand against him again? I’m not sure. What I am sure of is South West Surrey needs an MP who will challenge Conservative policies in all dimensions.

“With such a big Tory majority the only hope is a ‘progressive alliance’ of opposition parties to support a candidate that has a serious chance of winning.”