Cameron rewards George Osborne with extra powers after leading Britain to recovery

Prime Minister David Cameron reappointed his four top ministers, including George Osborne as finance minister, giving him a bigger cabinet role after Britain's economic recovery helped their party to an unexpectedly big election victory.

Osborne will have a freer hand in his purge of Britain's public finances after the Conservative Party won an outright majority, meaning it no longer has to seek consensus with its former Liberal Democrat coalition partners.

As well as keeping Osborne in charge of the economy, Cameron named him first secretary of state, making him the most senior member of cabinet after the prime minister.

Osborne served as chancellor of the exchequer throughout Cameron's first five-year term. During that time, he oversaw a recovery of the economy from the damage wrought by the financial crisis.

The improvement was slow at first but gained speed sharply in 2013 and 2014, transforming Osborne, 43, from one of Britain's most unpopular politicians to a contender to succeed Cameron, who says he will not seek a third term.

Cameron announced Theresa May would remain as interior minister while Philip Hammond and Michael Fallon would keep their jobs as foreign and defence ministers, respectively.