NO, PRIME MINSTER!
Cameron shock as Iain Duncan Smith refuses to move in Cabinet reshuffle
THE PM sacked Andrew Lansley as Health Minsiter yesterday – but didn’t have the balls to get rid of Iain Duncan Smith.
The Welfare Minister stood up to David Cameron and refused to move to the Justice Department, insisting he wanted to finish his job steering welfare reform through Parliament.
And Cameron’s sacking of Transport Minister Justine Greening also upset London Mayor Boris Johnson who said: “There can be only one reason to move her – and that is to expand Heathrow airport. The ex-Minister had been very firm in her opposition to building a third runway at the airport.
Duncan Smith’s refusal to move to the Justice Department, a change demanded by Chancellor George Osborne to allow him to make faster, bigger cuts to welfare, complicated the PM’s reshuffle.
It did mean a victory for the party’s right wing with Chris Grayling replacing Ken Clarke as Justice Secretary.
Ken, who has been given a floating role as a minister without portfolio, said: “I’m pleasantly surprised he’s asked me to carry on in the Cabinet doing a different role.”
The influence of the Right was boosted by Owen Paterson leaving Northern Ireland for a more prominent role as Environment Secretary.
Baroness Warsi was stripped of her job as co-chairman of the Tory party and an automatic seat at Cabinet.
She has been given a job at the Foreign Office, and will also be minister of faith.