Sajid Javid replaced by Rishi Sunak after resigning as Chancellor following row over advisers with Boris Johnson

Sajid Javid resigned as Chancellor today after a huge clash with Boris Johnson in a major Cabinet reshuffle shock.

14 Feb 2020   JOE MURPHY, Jacob Jarvis

The Chancellor stormed out after the Prime Minister demanded that he sack his entire team of special advisers.

© Provided by Evening Standard

Mr Johnson was expected to announce the creation of a delivery unit based at No 10 that will dominate Whitehall policy-making and overshadow the Treasury.​

“The Prime Minister said he had to fire all his special advisers and replace them with Number 10 special advisers to make it one team," a source close to Mr Javid said.

“The Chancellor said no self-respecting minister would accept those terms.”

Related: How did Rishi Sunak go from backbencher to chancellor in just five years?

© Provided by Evening Standard Rising star: Rishi Sunak (PA)

Mr Javid was called in to No 10 and offered his job, but on condition he sack his team and agree to am economic team shared between No 10 and the Treasury.

Mr Johnson told him he could not tolerate out-of-contol briefings by the Chancellor’s poilitical advisers, such as on HS2 and a Mansion Tax and cutting tax breaks on pensions.

There have been tensions between Mr Javid and Mr Johnson's chief adviser Dom

© Getty Number 10 special advisor Dominic Cummings

During his tenure, Mr Javid was branded a Chino — Chancellor in Name Only — by Mr Cummings who last summer had a top Treasury aide fired and frogmarcinic Cummings.

hed out of the building without Mr Javid’s consent.

Tory rising star Rishi Sunak, who has been chief secretary to the Treasury, has been confirmed as Mr Javid's replacement.

He was widely expected to receive a boosted role in today's reshuffle, having been a prominent figure for the party in recent times, having filled in for Mr Johnson at points in the election campaign and regularly making media appearances.

© Provided by Evening Standard Rishi Sunak has replaced Sajid Javid as ChancellorThe PM is also set to announce the creation of a delivery unit based at No 10 that will dominate Whitehall policy-making and overshadow the Treasury.

Mr Javid’s departure comes just four weeks before his Budget.

Some MPs thought Mr Johnson had effectively forced out a potential rival power in Whitehall by laying down conditions that he knew Mr Javid could not agree.

Walkouts by Chancellors are rare - and usually massively damaging.

The resignation of Nigel Lawson in 1989 in a dispute over one of Margaret Thatcher’s advisers, Sir Alan Walters, was the precursor to Margaret Thatcher’s ousting.

The Pound dipped briefly on Mr Javid’s shock resignation before recovering.

Mr Javid's resignation came following a raft of high profile sackings by the PM, with five ministers all ousted from the Cabinet today.

Earlier Mr Johnson sacked five Cabinet ministers after breakfast , in a bloody start to his Cabinet reshuffle.

First for the chop was Northern Ireland Secretary Julian Smith for mishandling a political storm over new investigations into historic allegations against members of the security forces.

Senior Brexiteer Andrea Leadsom, the Business Secretary who campaigned at Mr Johnson’s side in the 2016 referendum on EU membership, was next to be despatched.

Housing minister Esther McVey, another Brexiteer, paraded her dismay on Twitter after she, too, was given her marching orders. “I’m very sorry to be relieved of my duties...” she wrote.

© Provided by Evening Standard Out: Geoffrey Cox (AFP via Getty Images)

Booming-voiced Attorney General Geoffrey Cox and Environment Secretary Theresa Villiers, both Brexiteers, were also axed. Mr Cox made clear he did not go willingly. “I am now leaving the Government at the PM’s request,” he said. Ms Villiers was more philosophical. “What the prime minister giveth, the prime minister taketh away,” she wrote.

At 10.30am the parade up Downing Street of reshuffle survivors and winners began. Mr Javid went in first. A big winner was Alok Sharma who was tipped to be promoted to Business Secretary. He also takes on the potentially poisoned chalice of the presidency of the COP26 environmental summit, which will be the biggest and most important gathering of world leaders in Britain this year, but has been beset by chaotic planning.

Mr Sharma impressed colleagues with his “quiet competence” in his first Cabinet role as International Development Secretary. Before that, as minister for housing, he handled the Government’s response to the Grenfell Tower disaster and was moved to tears while giving a statement in the Commons.

© Provided by Evening Standard Sacked: Northern Ireland Secretary Julian Smith (AFP via Getty Images)

Mr Smith’s was the most spectacular downfall, fired after just after 204 days as Northern Ireland Secretary and weeks after being hailed as architect of a deal to restore power-sharing in the province.

His fall follows allegations that he secured the agreement by promising Republicans an investigation into historic allegations of wrongdoing by the security forces, raising the prospect of elderly former Royal Ulster Constabulary officers going on trial. Downing Street was said to have been furious at being bounced into the controversy.

In a statement, Mr Smith said: “Serving the people of Northern Ireland has been the biggest privilege. I am extremely grateful to Boris Johnson for giving me the chance to serve this amazing part of our country.”

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, Home Secretary Priti Patel, Justice Secretary Robert Buckland and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Michael Gove were all confirmed in their existing Cabinet posts.

George Freeman joked about losing his job as transport minister, tweeting: “On my bike.” Chris Skidmore indicated he had been axed by saying he would have “more time to spend” with his child.

Female MPs in line for promotion include defence minister Anne-Marie Trevelyan, former Brexit minister Suella Braverman and Gillian Keegan.

A source close to the PM said the new appointments were designed to help the Government “to focus relentlessly on delivering the public’s priorities”.

The source added: “They will be supported by an intake of new ministers as the PM seeks to broaden ministerial experience across his parliamentary party. All ministers, regardless of seniority, will be judged on how they manage their portfolios and the results they demonstrate over the coming months.”

The Prime Minister intends to “promote a generation of talent” and ensure better gender balance by promoting women at all levels of the ladder. Half of the junior ranks are expected to show a 50-50 gender split after the changes.

Mr Cummings had reportedly been seeking a wider cull of ministers and a shake-up of Whitehall departments but No 10 insiders believe a more “conventional” reshuffle will be carried out by the Prime Minister. Nus Ghani revealed she had been sacked from her post as transport minister.

In what was being interpreted by some people at Westminster as a dig at the PM’s loyalty, Mr Cox highlighted in his resignation letter how he had introduced Mr Johnson for the campaign launch for his bid to become Tory leader.

Ireland’s deputy prime minister Simon Coveney replied to Mr Smith on Twitter, saying: “U have been such an effective SOS for NI at a time of real challenge & risk.

“Without your leadership I don’t believe NI would have a Govt today. Thank you JulianSmithUK for your trust, friendship and courage; UK & #Ireland can look to future with more confidence because of it.”

Though she lost her job at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Ms Villiers said: “Whether it is in the Cabinet, in Parliament, or in any other walk of life, if there is one thing we should all strive for, it is to safeguard our natural environment for future generations.”

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