London [UK]: UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has appointed new faces for Downing Street operations to improve and deliver the change necessary to get on with the job, as per a press statement from the UK Prime Minister’s Office on Saturday.
It said that the new appointments will have the discipline and focus to drive the Prime Minister’s priorities and deliver for the country. Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Steve Barclay, will become the Prime Minister’s new Chief of Staff, working directly with Cabinet colleagues to ensure the Prime Minister’s levelling up agenda is driven forward and delivered at maximum speed.
According to the press statement, this change will significantly strengthen the Cabinet government, meaning there will be an enhanced role for both Ministers and Parliament.
Guto Harri, a journalist with a distinguished career before taking on some of the most demanding roles in communications, is joining as Director of Communications. He was the Prime Minister’s Spokesman and Chief of Staff during his first term as London Mayor.
The government said that there will continue to be further appointments over the coming days with a particular focus on improving engagement and liaison with MPs.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said, “This week I promised change so that we can get on with the job the British public elected us to do. We need to continue our recovery from the pandemic, help hundreds of thousands more people into work, and deliver our ambitious agenda to level up the entire country, improving people’s opportunities regardless of where they’re from.”
“The changes I’m announcing to my senior team today will improve how No 10 operates, strengthen the role of my Cabinet and backbench colleagues, and accelerate our defining mission to level up the country”, he added.
Last week, Johnson refused calls to resign after an investigation into a string of parties held at his official residence in Downing Street during the COVID-19 lockdown found there were serious “failures of leadership and judgment.”
“I am going to get on with the job,” Johnson told Parliament following the release of the report on the inquiry conducted by senior civil servant Sue Gray.
The long-awaited report, which was published as an update because the London Metropolitan Police had asked the senior civil servant conducting the probe to make minimal reference to some of the gatherings to avoid prejudice to their own investigation, concluded that the parties held at Downing Street during the lockdown “should not have been allowed to take place.” (ANI)
