Chevening just ‘frippery’, PM warns warring ministers
BORIS JOHNSON has fired a warning shot at Liz Truss and Dominic Raab for warring over who gets the grace and favour property Chevening, dismissing the issue as “frippery”.
The Prime Minister refused to intervene on whether Ms Truss, the new Foreign Secretary, or Mr Raab, removed from that role but named Deputy Prime Minister, should have access.
Since Mr Johnson’s reshuffle last week it remains unclear who will get the keys to the 17th-century country house that is usually the private residence of the Foreign Secretary.
Speaking to reporters on the plane for his trip to the United States, Mr Johnson was asked which of the two Cabinet ministers would win out and be given access to Chevening.
“The people’s government does not bother with fripperies and foibles of this kind,” the Prime Minister said.
“These types of questions, we will address in due course. But as I say, we are focused on people’s priorities.”
Mr Raab, according to multiple government sources, was furious with his demotion from the Foreign Office last week, when he was made Justice Secretary. He was also given the title of Deputy Prime Minister, reportedly after pushing back hard in his private meeting with Mr Johnson.
During the Tory-liberal Democrat coalition between 2010 and 2015, Nick Clegg, the deputy prime minister, and William Hague, the foreign secretary, shared access to the property.
But that time-share option appears not yet to have been adopted by Ms Truss, who became the first ever female Tory Foreign Secretary, and Mr Raab, now out of a great office of state.
Chevening is surrounded by gardens and parks. The building in Kent is Grade II listed and is set in 3,000 acres.
Elsewhere in discussions with reporters en route to New York, Mr Johnson did not deny reports that he wanted to serve a decade in Downing Street.
He said: “What this Government wants to do is get on with delivering the people’s priorities.
“We got Brexit done, we have got the fastest vaccine rollout in Europe, and we are dealing with some of the big things that have been neglected for decades – not least social care and the cruelty of the current system.”