Lockdown sceptics bank on Barclay to serve their interests
Gove’s replacement at the Treasury regarded as less hawkish on Covid rules than demoted minister
TORY lockdown sceptics have hailed the promotion of Stephen Barclay to Cabinet Office minister, as they last night claimed he would be more alive to the economic costs of another lockdown this winter than Michael Gove.
Mr Gove’s switch, from the heart of Mr Johnson’s Government, in which he held the post of Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, to housing and the recent removal of Matt Hancock from the health brief, means that two of the ministers most in favour of tougher measures are no longer in a position to influence the pandemic response.
Mr Barclay, as Mr Gove’s replacement, has assumed responsibility for running the operations of the Covid-o Cabinet sub-committee, as well as other smaller working groups and Sajid Javid has made a return to the Cabinet as Mr Hancock’s replacement.
Last night, one senior Tory described Mr Barclay as the “antidote” to Mr Gove, while another said he would take a “more cautious approach to further lockdowns”.
Allies of Mr Gove have previously hit back at briefings against him, pointing out that his views have been closely aligned with those of the Prime Minister and he was often acting on Mr Johnson’s orders.
As he previously served as Chief Secretary to the Treasury, allies say Mr Barclay will share the same instincts as his former boss Rishi Sunak, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and is likely to place greater emphasis on economic recovery when decisions are taken.
Mr Javid, who was the Chancellor before Mr Sunak, has been keen to highlight the impact of the pandemic on “non-covid” health problems.
It comes after a number of Treasury figures privately expressed their frustration last year at the make-up of key Covid-19 bodies and the influence wielded by the hawks in Government.
“He’s going to be on the side of pressing on [with opening up the economy],” a government source said of Mr Barclay last night. He is also known for being “forensic on detail”, having been charged with overseeing the spending review and discussions on departmental budgets, which lockdown sceptics hope will interrogate the advice of scientific advisers.
“Steve is a solid hombre,” said one former minister. “What you will get from Steve is the antidote to Gove. He will do the job he’s been asked to do.
“I think there is a scepticism there, which will be more in tune with the backbenchers.”
“Steve Barclay is a very safe pair of hands,” a second MP added. “He will have a far more pragmatic and cautious approach to further lockdowns. I’m much happier that Steve is there. I just wish he’d been left with more frankly.”
Yesterday it was also confirmed that Mr Barclay will also take over responsibility
‘Steve is a solid hombre... the antidote to Gove. He will do the job he has been asked to do’
for a newly-formed sub-committee that has been tasked with addressing Britain’s lorry driver shortages and supply chain crisis.
However, his departure from the Treasury poses a significant headache for Mr Sunak, who is currently in the middle of negotiations with Whitehall departments over their three-year spending settlements.
His successor, Simon Clarke, arrives with just over a month before the spending review and the Budget are due to take place on Oct 27.
While Mr Clarke is thought to enjoy good relations with the Chancellor, one government insider last night suggested he had been appointed as a compromise so the Prime Minister could avoid having to shuffle Jacob Rees-mogg into the post.
But Treasury sources said the decision to appoint Mr Clarke had been solely the Prime Minister’s. They also said Mr Rees-mogg’s criticism of the decision to increase National Insurance payments to pay for social care had gone down badly in Downing Street.