UK finance minister resigns as Johnson shakes up Cabinet
JAVID’S DECISION FOLLOWS REPORTS HE HAD CLASHED WITH PM’S ADVISER
UK Treasury chief Sajid Javid unexpectedly resigned yesterday, throwing a carefully planned shakeup of Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s Conservative government into turmoil.
Javid had been widely expected to keep his job as finance minister even as Johnson fired some Cabinet members and promoted more junior ministers to top jobs.
He smiled as he entered the prime minister’s 10 Downing St. office yesterday to meet Johnson. But a spokesman confirmed soon after that Javid had quit. The government announced that he would be replaced by Rishi Sunak, who was previously a deputy to Javid.
Javid’s resignation follows reports he had clashed with Johnson’s powerful adviser, Dominic Cummings.
Britain’s Press Association news agency reported that Javid had quit after being told to fire all his aides and replace them with staff appointed by the prime minister’s office.
Now Johnson’s Conservative administration faces the even bigger challenge of negotiating a new trading relationship with the EU while also seeking trade deals with the United States and other countries.
Smith sacked
Britain and the EU are aiming to have a deal covering trade, security and other areas in place by the time a postBrexit transition period ends on December 31.
Johnson had intended to keep the most senior ministers in their jobs. His office said Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, Home Secretary Priti Patel, Justice Secretary Robert Buckland and Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove were all staying in post.
Several high-profile women in Johnson’s government, including Business Secretary Andrea Leadsom, Environment Secretary Theresa Villiers and Housing Minister Esther McVey, all said they had been fired
Johnson also sacked Northern Ireland Secretary Julian Smith — another surprise move. Smith had been widely praised for helping to end political deadlock that left Northern Ireland without a regional government and assembly for three years. After pressure from the British and Irish governments, the main Irish nationalist and British unionist power-sharing parties returned to work last month.