Business

Boris Johnson insists Rishi Sunak remains loyal to his leadership

Boris Johnson on Monday insisted that prime minister Rishi Sunak was “absolutely” loyal to his leadership, as ministers said a “fragile truce” had been brokered with Tory MPs after the No. 10 overhaul.

The prime minister’s appointment of Cabinet Office Secretary Steve Barclay as Downing Street chief of staff and close ally Andrew Griffith as head of policy has given Johnson a reprieve, with Conservative MPs saying that they will wait to see if new team provide the necessary stability.

But Johnson’s claim that Sir Keir Starmer, as director of public prosecutions, failed to prosecute pedophile Jimmy Savile again as anti-suppression protesters hunted the Labor leader outside outside parliament. Footage on social media shows Starmer echoing screams of “protect pedophiles” and “traitors”.

Johnson refused to make a statement last week, but Conservative and Labor MPs on Monday linked the prime minister’s initial comments to the protesters. Former Tory minister Julian Smith said: “What happened to Keir Starmer tonight outside parliament is appalling. It is really important to our democracy and to his safety that the false Savile slander against him has been retracted in its entirety. ”

Johnson’s leadership has fallen into crisis over partisans in Downing Street during the coronavirus shutdown, and MPs have demanded an overhaul of his No 10 operation because many believe it is underperforming. fruit.

Sunak, considered by many to be the future leader of Tory, last week criticize Johnson by saying he would not make prime minister-like remarks about Starmer and Savile.

Speaking to reporters on Monday, Johnson was asked if he doubts Sunak’s loyalty. “Absolutely not,” he replied, as he outlined the government’s efforts to deal with it record backlog of hospital treatment backlog in the UK.

“Everybody in Number 10 and the Treasury is working together harmoniously to tackle the big problems facing the country and to tackle the Covid backlog.”

Meanwhile, a cabinet minister said that new Number 10 appointees including Barclay and Griffith had been buying out Johnson for some time, adding: “We now have a fragile armistice. Everyone is giving the new team the benefit of the doubt and time to settle down. “

Another member of the government said Tory MPs’ mood was “feeling calm”.

New 10th HR director Steve Barclay © Alastair Grant / AP

Johnson is expected to complete his government reset following the partisan scandal through a minor cabinet reshuffle.

Government insiders say Johnson has decided to replace Conservative leader Mark Spencer, although the prime minister has yet to have a successor.

A senior Tory official suggested that Jacob Rees-Mogg, leader of the House of Commons, could move into a new role as minister in charge of Brexit opportunities.

This could allow Spencer to become leader of the Commons and authorize the appointment of a new Tory leader, but others briefed on the reshuffle say the situation is “loose”.

No Conservative MPs went public on Monday to say they had written a letter requesting a vote of no confidence in Johnson to Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the Backbench Tories’ 1922 committee.

However, allies of the prime minister said they think the letter count is slowly approaching the 54 threshold that would trigger such a vote.

A Eurosceptic cabinet minister said “there is no doubt that everyone is coordinating” in a plot against Johnson, with a steady stream of letters being sent to Brady.

Tory’s Brexit supporters have pointed to a “maintenance bias” within the party, although recent calls for Johnson to quit have also come from prominent Leavers including former minister David Davis and supporter Andrew Bridgen. A former minister and Remainer said the claims were “absolute rubbish”.

Source link

news7h

News7h: Update the world's latest breaking news online of the day, breaking news, politics, society today, international mainstream news .Updated news 24/7: Entertainment, Sports...at the World everyday world. Hot news, images, video clips that are updated quickly and reliably

Related Articles

Back to top button