Boris Johnson’s Cabinet reshuffle has been blown off course this lunchtime after Sajid Javid quit as Chancellor. Javid resigned after being presented with an ultimatum by the Prime Minister. After a fortnight of negative No.10/No.11 briefings, Javid was told he could stay in his post on the condition he agreed to a SpAd restructuring. This would have involved all of his special advisers bar one losing their job and a new special adviser unit being created between No. 10 and No. 11. Javid refused and as a result has left his position as Chancellor.
This is a surprising turn. It’s been clear for some time that the relationship between No. 10 and No. 11 was not harmonious. As I previously reported, Javid was not on good terms with senior No. 10 aides – including Dominic Cummings. However, the fact that he had a decent working relationship with the Prime Minister meant that he was expected to survive this reshuffle – and that was the plan as intended by No.
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