Davis in talks with Johnson over return to the Cabinet
If the frontrunner does become PM on Wednesday, who will he choose to join his team’s Brexit mission?
DAVID DAVIS is in talks with Boris Johnson over a Cabinet comeback, The Daily Telegraph can disclose.
Mr Davis, 70, who was the first Leaver to quit the Government in protest at Theresa May’s Chequers deal, has emerged as a late contender for one of the most senior jobs in the new administration being assembled this weekend in the hope Mr Johnson will be announced as the next prime minister on Tuesday. Last night Donald Trump said he had spoken to Mr Johnson this week, adding that he thought he would do a “great job” and he was looking forward to working with him.
Mr Davis, the former Brexit secretary, is understood to be in line to become either chancellor or foreign secretary after telling Mr Johnson he would not settle for a lesser role. The Telegraph understands the pair have been in contact in recent days.
Sajid Javid, the Home Secretary, had been regarded as the front-runner to head the Treasury but insiders say he “has not done enough” to support Mr Johnson’s campaign.
There is rising speculation around a “dream team” of Matt Hancock, the Health Secretary, as chancellor, with leading Brexiteer Jacob Rees-mogg as chief secretary to the Treasury.
Jeremy Hunt, the Foreign Secretary, is expected to be heavily defeated when the result of the Conservative leadership vote is announced. Mr Hunt is expected to stay in the Cabinet but, while he had been tipped for deputy prime minister, Brexiteers are pushing for Iain Duncan Smith for that role.
A senior Tory source said: “Boris appreciates the fact that while the rest of the Cabinet sat on their hands over the deal, David did the honourable thing.”
Insiders say Mr Johnson will need a heavyweight foreign secretary at his side for crisis talks with EU leaders.
The odds are overwhelmingly in favour of Boris Johnson being announced as Theresa May’s successor next week, and he may take up residence in No10 as soon as Wednesday. Then he will have to work quickly. Cabinet contenders are hard at work this weekend on their own ministerial pitches, with David Davis emerging as a late shout for foreign secretary and speculation mounting around a coalition “dream team” of Matt Hancock and Jacob Rees-mogg at the Treasury.
It goes without saying that Brexit will be the number one priority, with Mr Johnson telling this newspaper earlier this month that he would spend his first hours in office setting out “a plan for getting Brexit done by Oct 31”.
Having followed the “DUD” formula throughout the campaign – “Deliver Brexit, Unify the country, Defeat Corbyn” – he is likely to brandish his One Nation Tory credentials by pledging to increase spending on education and infrastructure, restating the moral case for conservatism as a means of supporting wealth creation and enterprise, and calling for the UK to unleash its whole potential, in a direct pitch to northern Leave voters.
He told The Daily Telegraph: “If I’m lucky enough to be elected, I want to begin by reclaiming the big centreright of British politics, making it absolutely clear that I believe in an approach that champions the free market, but also understands the vital importance of superb public services.
“I will set out a vision for Britain as the greatest place on Earth.”
Although he is expected to be announced as the next Tory leader at 11.45am on Tuesday, he will not become prime minister until the next day, after Mrs May has taken her last session of Prime Minister’s Questions before going to Buckingham Palace to resign. Within hours of being handed the keys to No10, Mr Johnson is expected to appoint key figures including chancellor, home secretary and foreign secretary. Although a source close to Mr Johnson said no roles had been appointed, it is understood that a tight-knit team of three people – including his de facto chief of staff Sir Eddie Lister – have been working with him on potential candidates. With Sajid Javid’s hopes of becoming chancellor fading, Mr Hancock, Liz Truss and Andrea Leadsom are all understood to be vying for the top job. Mr Hunt, who is expected to be heavily defeated, had been touted as a potential deputy prime minister but Brexiteers are angling for Iain Duncan Smith, Mr Johnson’s campaign chairman, to become his right-hand man. His former City Hall sidekick Kit Malthouse could also be a good bet having won plaudits for his work on alternative arrangements for the Irish backstop. The jury remains out on whether Mr Hunt will stay as Foreign Secretary or be replaced by the likes of Mr Davis. Former defence secretary Sir Michael Fallon’s name has also been linked with the role.
Earlier this week, Amber Rudd, the Work and Pensions Secretary, made a thinly-veiled pitch to keep her job by suggesting she was now comfortable with a no-deal Brexit and suggesting the Cabinet should have a 50:50 gender split. This could make the appointment of a woman to the role of home secretary more likely, although it is thought Mr Johnson would want to keep Mr Javid in the Cabinet, even if in a downgraded role.
It is expected that Penny Mordaunt will remain as Defence Secretary, while despite his 2016 treachery, Michael Gove is expected to stay at Defra. As one insider put it: “Boris is still bruised by what Michael did but respects him as a very safe pair of ministerial hands and a great orator.” Or Mr Johnson could be minded to move Mr Gove to health, should Mr Hancock be made chancellor, making way for Zac Goldsmith to become environment secretary.
Mr Hancock has been heavily lobbying for the chancellorship although Brexiteers are concerned about his Remainer links to George Osborne, for whom he spent five years as chief of staff. Although Mr Reesmogg has not asked for a job, Brexiteers could be won over to the idea of a Remain chancellor if the staunch Leaver was his right-hand man at the Treasury. Dubbed a “coalition dream team”, both are intent on lowering taxes, cutting stamp duty and reforming social care.
With Greg Clark, the Business Secretary, and David Gauke, the Justice Secretary, expected to resign along with Mr Hammond before they are pushed next week, Mr Johnson’s close friend and long-time supporter Jake Berry, the northern powerhouse minister, is being tipped to replace Mr Clark along with business minister Andrew Stephenson, another close ally, while Brexiteer Dominic Raab, a former lawyer, could take the reins at the Ministry of Justice.
Other stalwart supporters include Conor Burns, tipped to be Mr Johnson’s parliamentary private secretary, although former Army officer James Heappey’s name is also in the frame, should Thatcherite Mr Burns be given a bigger role. Priti Patel and James Cleverly have both been touted as potential party chairman while Gavin Williamson, the former defence secretary, looks set for a return to government after helping Mr Johnson to win the support of more than half of Tory MPS along with Grant “spreadsheet” Shapps.
It is thought unlikely Mr Williamson would want to return to his former role as chief whip, and amid concerns over security following his alleged involvement in the Huawei link, the role of Leader of the Commons looks possible along with transport or communities. It is thought Mr Johnson
may be tempted to promote his brother, Jo, the former universities minister, to the role of education secretary.
Having backed Mr Hunt, Ms Rudd’s best bet could be to remain as Work and Pensions Secretary.
Fiercely opposed to a no-deal Brexit, Rory Stewart, the International Development Secretary, appears unlikely to make the cut along with staunch May allies James Brokenshire, the Communities Secretary, and Liam Fox, the Trade Secretary. Jeremy Wright has also failed to make his mark as Culture Secretary, with John Whittingdale tipped for a return to the role he held from 2015-16.
Another key Boris backer who can expect promotion is Nigel Adams, who resigned as a Wales Office minister and whip over Mrs May’s decision to enter Brexit talks with Labour in April, while Cabinet supporters Steve Barclay, the Brexit Secretary, Alun Cairns, the Welsh Secretary, and Geoffrey Cox, the Attorney General, look set to remain at the top table.