Today, Boris Johnson is putting together a new “unity Cabinet” by elevating ministers who stayed in the party throughout the Tory uprising and preventing those who abandoned him from returning.
The PM was assembling names to fill the voids left by the coup even as he announced his resignation as party leader.
The new-look team will run the government until a new one is installed, maybe in October. This delay is infuriating MPs to varying degrees.
James Cleverly and Kit Malthouse, who had been longtime allies, were given promotions as Education Secretary and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, respectively.
In order to force his resignation announcement, Mr. Johnson also took steps to close the door on others who had left the government, many of whom may have been considering a swift comeback.
Greg Clark, a centrist who most recently served in the Cabinet under Theresa May, was given the role of Levelling Up by Mr. Johnson after he brutally exacted retribution by dismissing Michael Gove last night.
After being fired as the Justice Secretary in a cabinet shuffle last year, Robert Buckland now serves as the Welsh Secretary. Simon Hart, who left last night, was replaced by him.
Shailesh Vara returns to cabinet as the Northern Ireland Secretary, a position he previously held as a junior minister.
Brandon Lewis left that position early this morning in the midst of frantic attempts to convince Mr. Johnson that his time was up.
The Tory MPs’ acceptance of Mr. Johnson sticking on until October—more than two months—is far from certain. There are rumours that Mr. Johnson wants to continue promoting important measures like tax reduction.
If Mr. Johnson does not resign right away, Keir Starmer has promised to hold a confidence vote in Parliament and attempt to provoke a general election.
“He has to entirely leave.” None of this “clinging on for a few months” nonsense, he said.
The chairman of the Tory 1922 Committee has received a letter from former prime minister Sir John Major warning that it would be “unwise” for Mr. Johnson to continue in office and advocating either an interim premier or a speeded-up election process ‘in the national interest’.
Greg Clark, the new Levelling Up Secretary, promised to “bring stability” in the government.
In the coming weeks, we have a responsibility to make sure the nation has a working administration, he wrote in a tweet.
I will do my utmost to bring stability, good governance, and accountability to Parliament at this crucial moment because I have prior experience as Secretary of State at the Communities department.
While my party chooses a new leader, HMG must continue, and we all have an overriding duty to put our shoulder to the wheel if asked to serve, Mr. Malthouse delivered a similar message.
In this period of political transition, “I intend to offer stability to the Cabinet Office.”
When Sir Robert Buckland accepted a position in the Cabinet, he declared that he was “here to help.”
Additionally, he stated that Boris Johnson would not have the power to implement “new” policies in government.
The newly appointed Welsh Secretary defended his choice to join Mr. Johnson’s revamped caretaker Cabinet by stating that he felt compelled to “assist and serve.”
“I felt it was right that I did that now,” he stated. The controversy about the character of the prime minister has been resolved. The Conservative Party no longer believes in him. He is stepping down. That is accurate. But government business continues. I’m here to assist.
Sir Robert claimed that he wouldn’t have taken a job yesterday but that the PM’s fate has “finally been dealt with.”
He resigned, which was the appropriate thing to do. By correctly resigning, he altered the situation,’ he claimed.
Sir Robert, who identified as a “team player,” asserted that the British system of government did not recognize the position of interim prime minister.
He declared, “This Prime Minister no longer has the political authority to undertake new initiatives.”
It is an enormous honor for Mr. Vara to serve as Secretary of State again in the Northern Ireland Office.
“Having previously worked in the Department, I am aware of the enormous contribution that Northern Ireland and its people have made to the UK, and I am looking forward to advocating for their interests at the Cabinet table.”
Mr. Johnson stated in his speech at Downing Street that he is “immensely proud” of the accomplishments of the government.
“I’m immensely proud of the achievements of this Government, from getting Brexit done to resolving our relations with the continent for over fifty years, reclaiming the right for this country to make its own laws in Parliament, getting us through the pandemic, delivering the fastest vaccine rollout in Europe, the fastest exit from lockdown, and, in the last few months, leading the West in putting up a fight against Putin’s aggression in Ukraine,” he said.
He declared that “helping families get through” would be his successor’s top goals. Taxes must be reduced as well as constraints placed on individuals, businesses, and families since these actions will lead to the economic growth and revenue required to fund our excellent public services.
I promise to offer that new leader, whatever he or she may be, all the support I can.
I am aware that there will be many who are relieved and perhaps quite a number who will also be dissatisfied among you, the British public.
“I want you to know how sad I am to leave the best job in the world,” the speaker said.