Sajid Javid has explained his resignation as Chancellor in a personal statement to the House of Commons.
The MP for Bromsgrove quit the role earlier this month after a row over merging his team with the team in No10. It is understood that Mr Javid was offered the option to stay on in his position, but only if he sacked all of his advisers – something which he was not prepared to do.
Speaking to the Commons, Mr Javid said that it has “always been the case” that ministers appoint their own advisers, and he said that he saw no reason why the Treasury “should be the exception to that”. He said that he believed the arrangement that had been proposed ‘would not have been in the national interest’.
Mr Javid offered his full support to Prime Minister Boris Johnson and praised Rishi Sunak’s previous work while wishing him well in his new position as Chancellor. Mr Javid added that Mr Sunak should be given “space to do his job without fear or favour” and he urged the government not to undermine the institution of the Treasury.
There was no actual mention in the speech of Dominic Cummings, the PM’s senior adviser thought to have been at the centre of the tensions between No10 and No11, however, Mr Javid did make an apparent reference which prompted laughter in the chamber. He said;
“Now I don’t intend to dwell further on all the details and the personalities… the comings and goings if you will.”
The near-10 minute speech ended with Mr Javid reiterating his support for Mr Johnson and his programme of work in the country.
The next budget is due to be delivered by Mr Sunak on Wednesday 11 March.
Photo Credit: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Govt via Flickr under licence (CC BY-ND 2.0)
