Cabinet reshuffle

Oh.
I'm still waiting for the call I offered to do Health.

I’d put money on the Chief Secretary to the Treasury getting the job - hes never off tge airwaves

DH has just told me that is indeed the case.

So BJ made SJ an offer he found easy to refuse. Some interesting people going the back benches then?

Sorry that NI Secretary has gone - he got power sharing back

Apparently he was told to sack his advisers which he wouldn’t do so resigned. Shades of Dominic Cummings?
Shame about Julian Smith. He seems to have been quite effective and well liked.

Obviously first part of post referred to Chancellor. Slow typing!

I’d heard that DC had ‘put his tanks on SJ lawn’. Apparently JS had criticised BJ over Brexit in Cabinet so was always for the chop.

I expect PP is safe

My guess is that DC wanted rid of SJ so the sack your advisers thing was to force his hand - nothing actually to do with the advisers at all.

The budget is only a few weeks away!

That’s OK JE because DC has already written it ?

I'm very pleased that Rishi Sunak is the next chancellor.

Why is that Meryl ?

I’m surprised at the SJ resignation - all the recent commentators were wrong then!

Well not all - I’d read about the tanks on the lawn story a while ago.

But, but, what will we do without his Brexit survey?

There were plenty of signs though. For example, Javid wanted very tight fiscal rules, which would have meant raising taxes in some way, if Johnson gets his way on spending plans. Cummings and Javid have disagreed in public and Cummings was making threatening noises about advisers just a few days ago. Apparently, the PM's team will take over the Treasury advisory role. All departments have been told to find 5% savings to fund Johnson's spending plans. The budget will be interesting - especially reading between the lines about what it will actually mean behind the spin. It's a move towards centralisation of power.

Some time back there were mumblings that he’d be for the chop, but recently he was looking safe - interesting times!

The downside to having a large majority is the many discontent backbenchers ?

Maybe, but there are enough newbie stooges for a bit of discontent not to matter that much.

They just have to sit and wait. Whatever happens now, Johnson will be responsible for it. He can't make any excuses.

PS. I'm keeping an eye on what happens in Ireland.

growstuff BJ gives a whole new meaning to the phrase Teflon Man. He won’t take responsibility, he will lie, blame others, he won’t even bother to make excuses - lies are so much more effective.
Apparently now there is to be an adviser unit across Nos 10 and 11 answerable to No 10 aka DC. So the new Chancellor is a media friendly puppet

So sorry to see Julian Smith go. Everyone I know thought he was the best SoS we've had for a while. Hard to understand.

Surely SPADS should be singing for the same hymn sheet in No’s. 10 & 11 anyway? Makes sense.

annepl it’s said that he disagreed with BJ over some Brexit related issues - nothing at all to do with his competence in the role sadly. I see LV paid him a very positive tribute