New Conservative leader Iain Duncan Smith has unveiled a frontbench team that is dominated by his Eurosceptic supporters.

Key appointments

Shadow chancellor: Michael Howard Shadow foreign secretary: Michael Ancram Party chairman: David Davis Shadow home secretary: Oliver Letwin Shadow Northern Ireland Secretary: Quentin Davies Shadow Scottish Secretary: Jacqui Lait Chief whip: David Maclean Shadow defence secretary: Bernard Jenkin Shadow health: Liam Fox Shadow Cabinet Office: Tim Collins Shadow education: Damian Green

The hastily assembled new Tory team was alongside its leader when he faced his first challenge - responding to a statement by Tony Blair on the US terror attacks in a recalled House of Commons on Friday morning.

In the new front bench line-up, former Home Secretary Michael Howard enjoys a frontline political re-birth with the post of shadow chancellor.

Michael Ancram - party chairman under outgoing leader William Hague and a leadership contender in the early stages of the contest - becomes shadow foreign secretary.

Tough test

Mr Ancram also takes the role of deputy leader.

Bernard Jenkin becomes shadow defence secretary and Oliver Letwin - who attracted controversy during the general election campaign when he was an economics spokesman - is shadow home secretary.

In other appointments, David Davis, another failed leadership contender, is Tory party chairman and Penrith and Border MP David Maclean becomes chief whip.

While the main positions have gone to committed Eurosceptics, there is a smattering of pro-Europeans included, with Quentin Davies getting Northern Ireland and Jacqui Lait, Scotland.

Ms Spelman is one of the few women Tory frontbenchers

Elsewhere David Willetts takes the work and pensions brief, Liam Fox gets health, with Tim Yeo heading culture, media and sport and John Whittingdale becoming trade and industry spokesman.

John Bercow becomes shadow chief secretary to the treasury, Peter Ainsworth gets environment, Theresa May local government and the regions, Damian Green takes on education and skills and Tim Collins, the Cabinet Office.

Eric Pickles takes the transport brief, Caroline Spelman international development, Nigel Evans Wales and David Maclean becomes chief whip in the Commons with Lord Cope of Berkeley taking that role in the Lords.

The post of Agriculture spokesman and a second cabinet post in the work and pension departments have yet to be named.

Big change

New party chairman Mr Davis said the team had been chosen for performance and not because of their views on any particular issue.

"It will be probably the biggest change in shadow cabinet in modern times - more than half will be new," he said.

But Mr Davis insisted that did not mean the new front bench, which would include "half a dozen social liberals", would be inexperienced.