Sajid Javid, the British finance minister, announced on Thursday that he will resign immediately. His departure gave a shocking turn to a rescheduling of the British cabinet by Prime Minister Boris Johnson, with little surprise expected in advance.
Javid’s announcement came unexpectedly. Rearrangements within the British cabinet often create a tense atmosphere among ministers, but a spokesman for Prime Minister Johnson announced on Wednesday that the impending changes would be “not exciting.”
According to British media, Javid was told on Thursday that he had to dismiss his own team of advisers and from now on had to use a team that would be shared with Downing Street 10. “The minister said a self-respected minister would never accept those conditions” , according to a source from Javid’s immediate environment.
Other prominent members of the cabinet, such as ministers Priti Patel (Home Affairs), Dominic Raab (Foreign Affairs) and Michael Gove (no portfolio charged with the Brexit) remain in place. Several lesser gods, such as Ministers Andrea Leadsom (Affairs and Energy) and State Secretary Julian Smith (Northern Irish Affairs) also had to make do.
Javid was regularly upset with Prime Minister’s political adviser
Downing Street 10 seems to want to expand the direct influence on different ministries. This fits in with the plans of Johnson’s political adviser (and de facto chief of staff) Dominic Cummings, who has little interest in the British top.
In recent weeks various media have written about the tense relationship between Cummings and Javid. The former fired Javid’s spokesperson last August, who allegedly leaked, without informing the minister in advance. Cummings and Javid are also said to have messed up about the budget, which should be presented next month.
The minister is succeeded by his former right hand in the ministry, Rishi Sunak. Shortly after the news became known, he did not want to respond publicly to his promotion, but insiders report that he is popular at Downing Street 10.
‘Stroman van Cummings’ succeeds Javid
Labor shadow minister for Finance, John McDonnell, said that Cummings “clearly won the fight to take absolute control of finance and install his front man as minister. This must be a historic record: a government in crisis after only two months off to be the power. “
Javid has been in the Lower House for the Bromsgrove district since 2010. He became Minister of the Interior in April 2018 and was the first man of Asian descent in a British cabinet. Javid was appointed by Johnson as finance minister in July 2019, the most important post after the prime minister.
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