‘No self-respecting minister could accept this power grab’
Chancellor had ‘no option’ but to quit after brutal day in Downing Street
SAJID Javid insisted he had “no option” but to resign after Boris Johnson mounted a naked powergrab on the Treasury just a month before Budget day.
The Chancellor was faced with an ultimatum to accept the sacking of all of his advisers as the Prime Minister forms a new “economic unit” between No 10 and No 11 Downing Street.
Mr Javid’s shock departure is being seen within Whitehall and Westminster as a Machiavellian move to oust him, masterminded by Dominic Cummings, the PM’S chief strategist in No 10.
Last week, it was suggested Mr Cummings said after he left a meeting of special advisers: “See half of you next week.”
The former head of the Vote Leave campaign had been in a power struggle for months with Mr Javid, whom he had supposedly dubbed “Chino” – Chancellor in name only.
The swiftness of Mr Javid’s replacement by his deputy Rishi Sunak suggested his departure had been carefully planned.
As he left his Treasury job after just seven months, the former Chancellor took a swipe at his successor, saying the demands imposed by Mr Johnson would not be acceptable to any “selfrespecting minister”.
In his resignation letter, Mr Javid explained that he could not accept the PM’S conditions, stressing: “I believe it is important as leaders to have trusted teams that reflect the character and integrity that you would wish to be associated with.”
And, notwithstanding the PM’S power-grab, he urged Mr Johnson to “ensure the Treasury as an institution retains as much credibility as possible”.
Commenting on the resignation, Labour’s John Mcdonnell said:
“This must be a historical record with the Government in crisis after just over two months in power. Dominic Cummings has clearly won the battle to take absolute control of the Treasury and install his stooge as Chancellor.”
Ian Blackford, the SNP’S Westminster leader, said: “Boris Johnson has lost control. Rather than prioritising the interests of people across the country, he is embroiled in an ego battle between his de-facto deputy Dominic Cummings and his former Cabinet ministers.”
Ed Davey for the Liberal
Democrats declared: “Boris Johnson’s reshuffle is in tatters.”
He added: “Like every crisis at No 10 you can see Dominic Cummings lurking in the background. This is the Conservatives’ own unelected bureaucrat, unaccountable to the public, attempting to control every part of Government.”
The PM’S spokesman said Mr Johnson thanked Mr Javid for the work he had done, which included a tax cut for 31 million taxpayers, the biggest cash increase for the National Living Wage and advancing the levelling-up agenda through investment in the NHS, infrastructure and schools.
He said Mr Sunak would take forward preparations for the Budget as Chancellor. But asked if the Budget would still be on March 11, he replied: “Extensive preparations have already been carried out for the Budget and they will continue at pace.”
Mr Javid’s departure came after several ministers were axed, the most controversial of which was the dismissal of Julian Smith as Northern Ireland Secretary. This caused much dismay to politicians on either side of the Irish border given Mr Smith’s role in reviving Stormont. He was replaced by Security Minister Brandon Lewis.
In another key appointment Alok Sharma moved from International Development to replace Andrea Leadsom as Business Secretary. He will also take on the key role as Minister for the COP26 green summit in Glasgow this November.
Today, Mr Johnson will take the usual photocall with his new-look Cabinet as he appoints junior and middle-ranking ministers.
IT was only three months ago that Boris Johnson pledged his total loyalty to Sajid Javid.
The Prime Minister told the Confederation of British Industry (CBI): “I’m going to give you an absolutely categorical assurance that I will keep Sajid Javid as my Chancellor… He’s a great guy and he’s doing a fantastic job and I’m proud to count him as a colleague.”
As Mr Javid walked up Downing Street yesterday morning, smiling and relaxed, no one outside the inner sanctum of the Prime Minister’s office had a clue what was about to happen.
Within minutes Mr Johnson was laying down an ultimatum to his colleague to transfer the power of the Treasury into his hands by agreeing to the sacking of all of his advisers and the formation of a new team serving a combined economic unit in Downing Street.
It seemed that after months and months the power struggle between Mr Javid and Dominic Cummings, Mr Johnson’s key strategist, had come to a head and the Chancellor was about to lose out.
The Midlands MP made clear the price was too high, resigned and left Downing Street after just seven months as Chancellor and barely a month before his first Budget.
Later Mr Javid told reporters he was asked to replace all of his political advisers to stay on in the role.
“I was unable to accept those conditions and I do not believe any selfrespecting minister would accept those conditions,” he declared, adding: “I felt I was left with no option but to resign.”
His replacement is his deputy Rishi Sunak, a former investment banker whose father-in-law is an Indian billionaire.
Arriving at the Treasury, the Yorkshire MP said he was “delighted” to be appointed Chancellor and had “a lot to get on with”.
But John Mcdonnell, the Shadow Chancellor, branded him Mr Cummings’s “stooge” and claimed the No 10 strategist now had complete control of the Treasury.
His Labour colleague, Ian Murray, the MP for Edinburgh South, added: “This extraordinary reshuffle has revealed who is really in charge of this government: Dominic Cummings.”
Controversy surrounded other moves.
The sacking of Julian Smith, the Northern Ireland Secretary, who had helped restore the power-sharing assembly at Stormont after years of inactivity was met with dismay and surprise on either side of the border.
Colum Eastwood, who leads the Nationalist SDLP, tweeted: “Sacking the most successful SOS in a decade shows Johnson’s dangerous indifference to us.”
Simon Coveney, Ireland’s Deputy Prime Minister, told Mr Smith: “Without your leadership I don’t believe NI would have a Govt today.”
The Scots-born Mr Smith was replaced by Brandon Lewis, the former Security Minister.
Meanwhile, the appointment of Suella Braverman as Attorney General, succeeding Geoffrey Cox, caused consternation in some quarters.
Last month, the Hampshire MP wrote that Parliament had to “retrace power ceded to the courts”, arguing: “Traditionally, Parliament made the law and judges applied it. But today, our courts exercise a form of political power.”
The Liberal Democrats insisted Ms Braverman was “unfit to serve as Attorney General”.
Daisy Cooper, the party’s Justice spokeswoman, said: “Liberal Democrats will not allow this dangerous, authoritarian Conservative Government to undermine the rule of law and erode individual rights and freedoms.”
One key appointment was Alok Sharma, the International
Development Secretary, who was promoted to Business Secretary – but who will also take on the role of Minister for the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow.
With controversy shrouding the preparations for the Un-sponsored event – not least the wrangling between London and Edinburgh over policing costs, one of Mr Sharma’s early tasks will be to pour diplomatic oil on raging political waters.
It is expected that he will very soon travel to Scotland for a meeting with Nicola Sturgeon to try to repair relations and end the damaging standoff between the two governments. In other reshuffle moves:
The little-known Amanda Milling replaced James Cleverly as Minister without Portfolio and the Conservative Party Chairman, attending Cabinet.
Stephen Barclay, the former Brexit Secretary, became Chief Secretary to the Treasury.
Oliver Dowden, the Cabinet Office Minister, was promoted to the role of Culture Secretary, replacing Baroness Morgan.
George Eustice, the Farming Minister, moved upwards to replace Theresa Villiers as Environment Secretary.
Anne-marie Trevelyan, the Armed Forces Minister, was promoted to Cabinet as the International Development Secretary.
Penny Mordaunt, the former Defence Secretary, returned to the frontline as Paymaster General.
As expected, Dominic Raab and Priti Patel retained their respective high offices of state at the Foreign Office and Home Office while those also keeping their Cabinet posts include Matt Hancock at Health, Ben Wallace at Defence and Grant Shapps at Transport.
Michael Gove will continue his key strategic role at the Cabinet Office while Liz Truss stays on as Trade Secretary. However, the EU trade negotiations will be carried out by top official David Frost reporting directly to the PM.
Alister Jack retained his position as Scottish Secretary and said: “I’m honoured to have been re-appointed as Scottish Secretary by the Prime Minister.
“I look forward to helping to deliver a bright future for Scotland.”