One man’s loss is another man’s gain. Matt Hancock’s downfall has meant the return of Sajid Javid, restored to Cabinet sixteen months after his resignation in a Downing Street power struggle.
Javid wasted no time in taking to the airwaves yesterday, paying the obligatory tribute to his disgraced predecessor and telling broadcasters: ‘We are still in a pandemic and I want to see that come to an end as soon as possible. That will be my immediate priority – to see that we return to normal, as soon and as quickly as possible.’
Fighting talk after the past year and a half. Hancock was known to be one of the most pro-lockdown ‘doves’ around the Cabinet table with his department naturally reluctant to back a loosening of restrictions. Under a new health secretary all that would surely change, no?
Apparently not, according to the official statement put out by the DHSC.
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