Trump’s tweets ‘make it impossible for me to do my job’, says William Barr February 14, 2020 US attorney general William Barr has said President Donald Trump’s use of Twitter “make it impossible for me to do my job” amid a high profile court case. His comments came in response to claims Trump pressured the Department of Justice (DoJ) into recommending a reduced jail sentence for the President’s former adviser, Roger Stone. [...]
New-look cabinet to meet later after Sajid Javid’s shock exit February 14, 2020 Boris Johnson’s newly reshuffled cabinet will meet for the first time later today after the shock departure of chancellor Sajid Javid. His deputy, Rishi Sunak, is the new Treasury boss after Javid refused to sack his special advisers in order to keep his job. He said “no self-respecting minister” could agree to Prime Minister Boris [...]
Reshuffling the deck: Loyalty, not merit, is the key to a promotion February 14, 2020 Politics may be show business for ugly people, but cabinet reshuffles have more of a feel of football’s transfer deadline day. Ambitious and hopeful MPs keep their phones close by, hoping to see a withheld number and hear the words “Downing Street for you”. Hacks and politicos watch on the sidelines, tracking who is in [...]
Exclusive: Reform comes to City of London after ‘inappropriate’ questions asked of gay candidate February 13, 2020 The City of London Corporation has revealed sweeping changes to the process of selecting the Lord Mayor and Sheriffs as part of a drive to increase the diversity of candidates. The new system will include a more structured interview procedure, with independent representatives “closely” involved and an independent professional firm being brought in to observe [...]
Javid launches parting shot over Treasury ‘impartiality’ February 13, 2020 Sajid Javid launched a parting shot at the Prime Minister yesterday after sensationally quitting as Chancellor, warning that Johnson and his aides were risking the “credibility” of the Treasury. Tensions between Number 10 and Number 11 dramatically came to a head during yesterday’s reshuffle, with Javid resigning in protest over plans to fire his advisers [...]
Fifth business secretary in a decade after bruising reshuffle February 13, 2020 The business community will today start building ties with its fifth secretary of state in a decade, after yesterday’s bruising reshuffle saw Andrea Leadsom one of the first to be sacked. Leadsom, who was widely expected to leave Boris Johnson’s Cabinet, is being replaced by former international development secretary Alok Sharma. Although she was not [...]
Cabinet reshuffle live: Chancellor resigns over turf war with No 10, as PM shakes up top team February 13, 2020 This is a live blog, please hit refresh to update 6pm – Live blog wrap Well, that’s your lot for today – at least, in terms of this live blog. My colleagues will be picking up on the rest of the appointments this evening and tomorrow. It was quite a day – certainly more of [...]
Javid: No self-respecting minister could accept PM’s conditions February 13, 2020 Sajid Javid has said he quit rather than accept conditions that “no self-respecting minister could”, following his surprise resignation as chancellor today. Simmering tensions between Downing Street and Treasury erupted into all-out warfare this morning, after he resigned in protest over plans to merge the two teams’ advisers. Despite run-ins with Boris Johnson’s chief adviser [...]
Prime Minister in spotlight over five-figure freebie holiday February 13, 2020 The Prime Minister is coming under pressure over who gifted him a five-figure holiday to the Caribbean island of Mustique after Christmas. Yesterday Boris Johnson declared that his stay in a villa with his partner Carrie Symonds was a £15,000 gift from businessman David Ross. On the latest Commons register of interests, the ‘benefit in [...]
Johnson pledges to ‘set foundations’ for gender balanced Cabinet in today’s reshuffle February 12, 2020 Boris Johnson will today operate a one-in-one-out policy for his highest ranking women today, as he looks to make good on his promise to prioritise gender diversity and new voices. A number of female Cabinet ministers, including environment secretary Theresa Villiers, business secretary Andrea Leadsom and culture secretary Nicky Morgan are among those expected to [...]