The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Chancellor: ‘I had no option but to resign’
● Series of brutal sackings at Number 10 as Boris Johnson ‘takes back control’
With a series of brutal sackings and forced resignations, Boris Johnson claimed he had succeeded in “taking back control” of his Cabinet yesterday.
In a day of high drama at Westminster, Sajid Javid lost his job at the Treasury and Julian Smith, who recently re-established powersharing at Stormont, was axed from the Northern Ireland Office.
Mr Javid, who was in the midst of preparing the UK Government’s March 11 Budget, said he was left with “no other option” but to quit after the prime minister ordered him to sack all his special advisers and aides and to defer to Downing Street for advice.
The former chancellor said that he did not believe that “any self-respecting minister” would accept the demands in comments that will also be seen as a clear swipe at his successor Rishi Sunak.
Speaking outside his home, Mr Javid added: “It’s been a huge honour to serve as chancellor of the Exchequer, and while I was very pleased the prime minister wanted to reappoint me, I was unable to accept the conditions he had attached.
“I felt I was left with no option other than to resign.”
Before the explosive meeting with Mr Johnson, Mr Javid had walked smiling into Number 10 in a sign that he expected to remain in place ahead of the Budget.
The prime minister’s official spokesman said that preparations for the Budget would continue under the new chancellor.
He added: “Extensive preparations have already been carried out for the Budget and they will continue at pace.”
Labour’s John McDonnell, the shadow chancellor, said Mr Javid’s resignation showed that Mr Johnson’s chief adviser Dominic Cummings had “clearly won the battle to take absolute control of the Treasury and install his stooge as chancellor”.
SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford said: “Rather than prioritising the interests of people across the country, Boris Johnson is embroiled in an ego battle between his de-facto deputy Dominic Cummings and his former Cabinet ministers.”
There have been bad relations between No 10 and No 11 since Mr Cummings fired Mr Javid’s press secretary in August without consulting him.
Until Mr Javid’s exit, the most surprising move by the prime minister had been the sacking of Julian Smith just weeks after brokering the deal which restored the power-sharing administration in Stormont.
Irish prime minister Leo Varadkar said Mr Smith was “one of Britain’s finest politicians of our time”.
Speculation about Mr Smith’s position centred on the terms of the Stormont deal, amid Tory concerns it could pave the way for prosecutions of British soldiers.
Other senior ministers to face the chop were business secretary Andrea Leadsom, environment secretary Theresa Villiers and attorney general Geoffrey Cox.