Johnson puts his faith in Brexiteers
Boris Johnson carried out the biggest Cabinet cull in almost 60 years yesterday as he promoted Brexit loyalists to help him get Britain out of the European Union on October 31, “no ifs or buts”.
Britain’s new Prime Minister, who recently said his favourite film moment was the “retribution scene” in The Godfather, staged his own political massacre as 17 ministers either resigned or were sacked.
Among those fired in a swift transition were Jeremy Hunt, who as Foreign Secretary lost to Johnson in the leadership race, and nine ministers who had supported Hunt’s bid.
In their place, Johnson packed the Cabinet with loyalists and Brexiteers, including Dominic Raab, who becomes both Foreign Secretary and Johnson’s de facto deputy; Priti Patel, who is the new Home Secretary; and Sajid Javid, who becomes Chancellor.
Johnson also buried the hatchet with Michael Gove, the man who scuppered his 2016 leadership bid, by keeping him in the Cabinet as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, with responsibility for co-ordinating nodeal planning. It means three of the four most senior roles in Government are filled by former members of the Vote Leave campaign in Johnson, Raab and Patel, while Gove, who ran the campaign with Johnson, is also close to the centre of power.
Dominic Cummings, the Vote Leave director credited with masterminding the 2016 referendum result, becomes Johnson’s deputy chief of staff.
In his first speech as Prime Minister, Johnson pledged to deliver Brexit by October 31. He said the “doubters, the doomsters, the gloomsters” of Brexit were wrong, as he told them: “The people who bet against Britain are going to lose their shirts . . . After three years of unfounded self-doubt it is time to change the record; to recover our natural and historic role as an enterprising, outward-looking and truly global Britain, generous in temper and engaged with the world. No one in the last few centuries has succeeded in betting against the pluck and nerve and ambition of this country. They will not succeed today.”
Johnson sacked Hunt after he turned down the role of defence secretary.
Johnson supporters suggested his radical reshuffle meant he was ready to fight a general election if necessary. Iain Duncan Smith, who was manager of his leadership campaign, said: “He will be ready to go for an election if Parliament amends the law to prevent a no-deal Brexit.”
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has ruled out bringing a confidence vote in Johnson’s Government until at least September.
Johnson insisted that he would do “a new deal, a better deal” with the EU “that will maximise the opportunities of Brexit while allowing us to develop a new and exciting partnership with the rest of Europe based on free trade and mutual support”.
Johnson’s appointment as Prime Minister prompted immediate protests outside Downing Street, where flares were set off, filling Whitehall with red smoke. Meanwhile, Greenpeace climate protesters interrupted Johnson’s motorcade as he was travelling to Buckingham Palace to meet Queen Elizabeth to get the nod to form a government.
Demonstrators in red shirts and sashes formed a human chain on the Mall, a road leading to the palace. Other demonstrators unfurled a banner reading “Climate Emergency”. Police broke the chain.