Javid fires a parting shot at takeover of the Treasury
Former chancellor warns the PM over spending and tells his successor to stand up against interference
SAJID JAVID yesterday warned Boris Johnson against ripping up the Conservatives’ rules on balancing the books and took a parting shot at Dominic Cummings during his resignation speech to the Commons.
Warning the Prime Minister not to pass on the bill for government spending to “our children and grandchildren”, the former chancellor said Downing Street’s takeover of the Treasury was “not in the national interest”.
Mr Javid resigned in the middle of Mr Johnson’s reshuffle on Feb 13 having rejected orders to dismiss his aides and replace them with a team of economic advisers controlled by No10. It followed rumours of tensions between Mr Javid and Mr Cummings, the Prime Minister’s senior adviser, amid claims that No10 feared the fiscally cautious Treasury was trying to rein in Mr Johnson’s ambitious spending plans.
Speaking ahead of next month’s Budget, Mr Javid called on Rishi Sunak, his successor, to stand his ground, saying he should be “given space to do his job without fear or favour”.
To cheers from the back benches, the Bromsgrove MP said it remained the case that “advisers advise, ministers decide” and that “no particular person” had a “monopoly on the best ideas”. And in an apparent reference to Mr Cummings, he added: “Not everyone in the centre of government feels the pressure to balance the books,” – insisting the Government should focus on “long-term outcomes and delivery – not short-term headlines”.
At Mr Javid’s insistence, the Conservative manifesto commits the Government to balancing day-to-day spending by 2023.
But yesterday a spokesman for No 10 appeared to cast doubt over the spending framework, saying details would be revealed at the Budget on March 11.
Addressing Parliament yesterday, Mr Javid said he had “full confidence” in Mr Johnson and believed he would deliver a major renewal of the UK economy. But in a scathing assessment he said he could not “accept in good conscience” proposals that would erode the autonomy of the Treasury.
“A chancellor, like all Cabinet ministers, has to be able to give candid advice so he is speaking truth to power,” he said. “I believe that the arrangement proposed would significantly inhibit that and it would not have been in the national interest.
“So while I was grateful for the continued trust of the Prime Minister in wanting to reappoint me, I am afraid that these were conditions that I could not accept in good conscience.”
And in an apparent further reference to the rows with Mr Cummings, he added: “I don’t intend to dwell further on all the details and the personalities … the Cummings and goings, if you will.” But he said that much of the commentary on their relationship had been “just gossip and distraction”.
Urging Mr Johnson again to show economic restraint, he said: “To govern is to choose, and these rules crystallise the choices that are required to keep spending under control, to keep taxes low, to root out waste and to pass that fitness test that was rightfully set in stone in our manifesto – on debt being lower at the end of the Parliament.”
Following his statement, the Prime Minister thanked Mr Javid for his speech and his “immense service” to the country, saying that he had “friends and admirers on all sides of this House of Commons”.
Downing Street later defended the decision to appoint a joint team of advisers to support the Chancellor.
“The new unit will ensure the Government works more effectively to deliver the Prime Minister and Chancellor’s shared ambition to level up the economy,” a spokesman said.
‘I don’t intend to dwell on all the details and the personalities … the Cummings and goings, if you will’