The Brexit reshuffle: every great office of state is now held by a Leaver

One of the Tories’ tactical successes has been to push Brexit down the news agenda. But even if it
no longer dominates front pages and news bulletins as it once did, the task of sorting out Britain’s future relationship with the European Union remains the government’s biggest challenge. Brexit also provides
the best explanation for some of No. 10’s other actions.

Last week’s cabinet reshuffle, for instance, can only be properly understood in the context of Brexit. The purpose was to create an all-powerful centre. The three greatest parts of government — No. 10, the Treasury and the Cabinet Office — have now been joined together. There is a combined No. 10 / No. 11 economic unit and, just as significantly, Theodore Agnew is a Minister of State in both the Cabinet Office and the Treasury, which links those two motors of government together. Agnew is also a trusted ally of Dominic Cummings.