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| Our writers give their verdict on Boris Johnson’s new cabinet | Our writers give their verdict on Boris Johnson’s new cabinet |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Aditya Chakrabortty: ‘It’s Thatcherism with knuckle-dusters: slash taxes, burn red tape, strip workers of their rights’ | Aditya Chakrabortty: ‘It’s Thatcherism with knuckle-dusters: slash taxes, burn red tape, strip workers of their rights’ |
| Is he serious? You could almost hear the country asking the question as Boris Johnson doled out his big cabinet jobs. As home secretary, we now have Priti Patel, who broadcast her logic-free support for the death penalty on primetime TV. Our new foreign secretary is Dominic Raab, the intrepid soul who apparently only recently discovered the existence of Calais. In charge of the Treasury is Sajid Javid, the ex-investment banker who went off on a jolly to Australia while steelworkers at Port Talbot were facing the dole. | Is he serious? You could almost hear the country asking the question as Boris Johnson doled out his big cabinet jobs. As home secretary, we now have Priti Patel, who broadcast her logic-free support for the death penalty on primetime TV. Our new foreign secretary is Dominic Raab, the intrepid soul who apparently only recently discovered the existence of Calais. In charge of the Treasury is Sajid Javid, the ex-investment banker who went off on a jolly to Australia while steelworkers at Port Talbot were facing the dole. |
| In this government of none of the talents, these gaffe-prone, substance-free caricatures will have free rein. As trade secretary, Liz Truss will finally be able to introduce import substitution for British cheese. Priti will doubtless cover Dominic’s job in her family holidays. | |
| Boris Johnson: new PM takes his revenge and sacks over half the cabinet | Boris Johnson: new PM takes his revenge and sacks over half the cabinet |
| Yet they’re serious, all right. The new guard burn with an ideological purpose that runs way beyond Brexit. Two of the top three jobs in government are now held by authors of Britannia Unchained, the collection of radical-right essays published in 2012 that decried Britons as “among the worst idlers in the world”. Their prescription was basically Thatcherism with knuckle-dusters: slash taxes, burn red tape, strip workers of their rights in the name of competing with the Chinese. | Yet they’re serious, all right. The new guard burn with an ideological purpose that runs way beyond Brexit. Two of the top three jobs in government are now held by authors of Britannia Unchained, the collection of radical-right essays published in 2012 that decried Britons as “among the worst idlers in the world”. Their prescription was basically Thatcherism with knuckle-dusters: slash taxes, burn red tape, strip workers of their rights in the name of competing with the Chinese. |
| At No 11, you can expect Javid to turn those words into policy, with a hard-right Keynesian reflation of the economy. Taxes will be slashed, billions will be handed to big construction for public works and Labour’s John McDonnell will find it quite tricky to point out the differences between his plans and the government’s. | At No 11, you can expect Javid to turn those words into policy, with a hard-right Keynesian reflation of the economy. Taxes will be slashed, billions will be handed to big construction for public works and Labour’s John McDonnell will find it quite tricky to point out the differences between his plans and the government’s. |
| The upshot of the new Johnson government is that a completely different wing has now taken control of the Tory party, far harder and more rightwing than we have seen before. A party with a tiny membership has just been subject to a hostile takeover. It is in other words, exactly what Jeremy Corbyn has been accused of since 2015 – but that he never carried out with anything like the seriousness. We are at the beginning of a revolution in Conservatism – one led entirely from above. | The upshot of the new Johnson government is that a completely different wing has now taken control of the Tory party, far harder and more rightwing than we have seen before. A party with a tiny membership has just been subject to a hostile takeover. It is in other words, exactly what Jeremy Corbyn has been accused of since 2015 – but that he never carried out with anything like the seriousness. We are at the beginning of a revolution in Conservatism – one led entirely from above. |
| Is he serious? The bad news is: yes. | Is he serious? The bad news is: yes. |
| • Aditya Chakrabortty is a Guardian columnist | • Aditya Chakrabortty is a Guardian columnist |
| Sonia Sodha: ‘He’s created a Vote Leave reunion cabinet’ | Sonia Sodha: ‘He’s created a Vote Leave reunion cabinet’ |
| Thanks to a leadership contest that was heavy on bombastic rhetoric and light on detail, Johnson went to Buckingham Palace with huge questions hanging over his Brexit strategy. And in terms of clues of how it might develop, what he did in the first few hours of his premiership was always going to be more significant than what he said: there was no way he was going to backpedal from “do or die” in his first speech as prime minister. That’s why people have been so keenly watching out for his top cabinet appointments, and what they say about the type of government he’s going to lead. | Thanks to a leadership contest that was heavy on bombastic rhetoric and light on detail, Johnson went to Buckingham Palace with huge questions hanging over his Brexit strategy. And in terms of clues of how it might develop, what he did in the first few hours of his premiership was always going to be more significant than what he said: there was no way he was going to backpedal from “do or die” in his first speech as prime minister. That’s why people have been so keenly watching out for his top cabinet appointments, and what they say about the type of government he’s going to lead. |
| And they leave no room for doubt. Johnson appears to have entirely jacked in the idea of unifying his party around a broad-church cabinet, resigned himself to the fact he’s facing an autumn parliamentary showdown followed by a general election, and worked backwards from there. So he’s created a Vote Leave reunion cabinet that will have few qualms about backing a no-deal Brexit if the EU, as expected, refuse Johnson’s completely unreasonable demands to remove the backstop from the withdrawal agreement. | And they leave no room for doubt. Johnson appears to have entirely jacked in the idea of unifying his party around a broad-church cabinet, resigned himself to the fact he’s facing an autumn parliamentary showdown followed by a general election, and worked backwards from there. So he’s created a Vote Leave reunion cabinet that will have few qualms about backing a no-deal Brexit if the EU, as expected, refuse Johnson’s completely unreasonable demands to remove the backstop from the withdrawal agreement. |
| In doing so, he’s created all the makings of a very bumpy ride on the way to that showdown. He’ll try to tell the moderates in his party that he’s going to make a reasonable bash at reaching a new consensus with the EU. But take a look at the faces round his cabinet table – why would they believe him? Plus the David Mundells of this world join others like Philip Hammond and David Gauke on the backbenches – the people who would have carried on serving but who, having been sacked by Johnson, are free to make trouble alongside those who resigned out of principle. | In doing so, he’s created all the makings of a very bumpy ride on the way to that showdown. He’ll try to tell the moderates in his party that he’s going to make a reasonable bash at reaching a new consensus with the EU. But take a look at the faces round his cabinet table – why would they believe him? Plus the David Mundells of this world join others like Philip Hammond and David Gauke on the backbenches – the people who would have carried on serving but who, having been sacked by Johnson, are free to make trouble alongside those who resigned out of principle. |
| Johnson last night fired the opening Brexit salvo. But his working majority is tiny and expect parliament – sooner or later – to fight back. The odds of general election in the next three months have only increased. | Johnson last night fired the opening Brexit salvo. But his working majority is tiny and expect parliament – sooner or later – to fight back. The odds of general election in the next three months have only increased. |
| • Sonia Sodha is chief leader writer at the Observer and deputy opinion editor at the Guardian | • Sonia Sodha is chief leader writer at the Observer and deputy opinion editor at the Guardian |
| Katy Balls: ‘Johnson has sent a horde of angry politicians to the backbenches’ | Katy Balls: ‘Johnson has sent a horde of angry politicians to the backbenches’ |
| When Boris Johnson was asked his favourite film scene in a recent interview, he replied: “the multiple retribution killings at the end of The Godfather” – pointing to the mafia film’s “baptism of fire” scene where Michael Corleone exacts his revenge on rival dons. There certainly seemed to be at least a whiff of that sentiment in the prime minister’s new government – with 17 cabinet ministers exiting the stage. | When Boris Johnson was asked his favourite film scene in a recent interview, he replied: “the multiple retribution killings at the end of The Godfather” – pointing to the mafia film’s “baptism of fire” scene where Michael Corleone exacts his revenge on rival dons. There certainly seemed to be at least a whiff of that sentiment in the prime minister’s new government – with 17 cabinet ministers exiting the stage. |
| While some of the exits were expected, it was much more expansive than most Tory MPs had anticipated. This included Britain’s first female defence secretary, Penny Mordaunt – forced out of the role after just a couple of months. The Johnson camp are thought to have been unhappy with her support for Jeremy Hunt in the leadership contest. | While some of the exits were expected, it was much more expansive than most Tory MPs had anticipated. This included Britain’s first female defence secretary, Penny Mordaunt – forced out of the role after just a couple of months. The Johnson camp are thought to have been unhappy with her support for Jeremy Hunt in the leadership contest. |
| Although loyalty was one factor in the decision-making process, it alone was not enough. One of the most brutal exits was that of James Brokenshire. The housing secretary was one of the first cabinet ministers to publicly endorse Boris Johnson. He was still given the chop. | Although loyalty was one factor in the decision-making process, it alone was not enough. One of the most brutal exits was that of James Brokenshire. The housing secretary was one of the first cabinet ministers to publicly endorse Boris Johnson. He was still given the chop. |
| Such a drastic change of government is the type of thing one would usually expect from a prime minister with a large majority, fresh from a successful election. In truth, Johnson has a tiny majority and has just sent a horde of angry politicians to the backbenches. There’s already talk of a “Gaukward squad” of no-deal sceptic former ministers who will work together to thwart Johnson’s Brexit plans. This will likely now only increase in size. | Such a drastic change of government is the type of thing one would usually expect from a prime minister with a large majority, fresh from a successful election. In truth, Johnson has a tiny majority and has just sent a horde of angry politicians to the backbenches. There’s already talk of a “Gaukward squad” of no-deal sceptic former ministers who will work together to thwart Johnson’s Brexit plans. This will likely now only increase in size. |
| But last night’s reshuffle wasn’t about party unity. Johnson knows he has under 100 days to deliver Brexit – it follows that he has decided to try a different strategy to Theresa May’s. Rather than spending a lot of time keeping a leave/remain balance in cabinet in a bid to not inflame internal party Brexit tensions, Johnson would rather ministers were all on the same page. A Johnson government will attempt to lead from the front and then challenge MPs to rebel if they dare. It’s a risky strategy that means government defeats in the Commons could become a regular feature. However, with talk of a early election rampant, there’s a view from Johnson allies that it’s better to look as if you are a government trying to get things done, than one too scared of rebel MPs to bother. | But last night’s reshuffle wasn’t about party unity. Johnson knows he has under 100 days to deliver Brexit – it follows that he has decided to try a different strategy to Theresa May’s. Rather than spending a lot of time keeping a leave/remain balance in cabinet in a bid to not inflame internal party Brexit tensions, Johnson would rather ministers were all on the same page. A Johnson government will attempt to lead from the front and then challenge MPs to rebel if they dare. It’s a risky strategy that means government defeats in the Commons could become a regular feature. However, with talk of a early election rampant, there’s a view from Johnson allies that it’s better to look as if you are a government trying to get things done, than one too scared of rebel MPs to bother. |
| • Katy Balls is the Spectator’s deputy political editor | • Katy Balls is the Spectator’s deputy political editor |
| Paul Mason: ‘Johnson has designed this cabinet to win a snap election’ | Paul Mason: ‘Johnson has designed this cabinet to win a snap election’ |
| Through a peculiarity of the British system, an electorate that would not give Theresa May’s team of technocrats a majority in parliament now has to watch powerless as Johnson’s team, drawn from the truly venal end of British conservatism, takes power. There is Johnson himself, who awarded an unbuildable garden bridge contract to his aquaintances. Priti Patel, who once gave her diplomatic minders the slip while playing lady bountiful to Israel. Dominic Raab, who as foreign secretary gets to sit in a seat once occupied by men like Salisbury and Halifax, did not know Calais was an important trading port until last year. Gavin Williamson, dismissed for a security leak while defence secretary, will get to define what’s right and wrong in the curriculum imposed by diktat on five-year-olds. | Through a peculiarity of the British system, an electorate that would not give Theresa May’s team of technocrats a majority in parliament now has to watch powerless as Johnson’s team, drawn from the truly venal end of British conservatism, takes power. There is Johnson himself, who awarded an unbuildable garden bridge contract to his aquaintances. Priti Patel, who once gave her diplomatic minders the slip while playing lady bountiful to Israel. Dominic Raab, who as foreign secretary gets to sit in a seat once occupied by men like Salisbury and Halifax, did not know Calais was an important trading port until last year. Gavin Williamson, dismissed for a security leak while defence secretary, will get to define what’s right and wrong in the curriculum imposed by diktat on five-year-olds. |
| The whole team now has a single task: to destroy four decades of engagement with Europe and the UK economy with it. | The whole team now has a single task: to destroy four decades of engagement with Europe and the UK economy with it. |
| This cabinet has been coming our way ever since Thatcherism, but it took a long time. The obstacles were always the Burkean tradition – which prized practicality over fanaticism – and the need to keep the liberal middle class on board. Now these constraints no longer apply. Boris Johnson has designed this cabinet to win a snap election with the votes of economically disadvantaged white voters with xenophobic tendencies dazzled by buffoonery and audacity. | This cabinet has been coming our way ever since Thatcherism, but it took a long time. The obstacles were always the Burkean tradition – which prized practicality over fanaticism – and the need to keep the liberal middle class on board. Now these constraints no longer apply. Boris Johnson has designed this cabinet to win a snap election with the votes of economically disadvantaged white voters with xenophobic tendencies dazzled by buffoonery and audacity. |
| Most UK voters have scant knowledge of the British constitution but they have a sense of our implicit national assumptions about decency, honour and propriety: a tradition, as Noel Coward once put it, that has “nine times out of 10 behaved decently and treated people right”. It is that tradition of decency, rather than party political tribalism, that will quickly drive large numbers of people to resist this government of chancers and cronies. | Most UK voters have scant knowledge of the British constitution but they have a sense of our implicit national assumptions about decency, honour and propriety: a tradition, as Noel Coward once put it, that has “nine times out of 10 behaved decently and treated people right”. It is that tradition of decency, rather than party political tribalism, that will quickly drive large numbers of people to resist this government of chancers and cronies. |
| In this context, the heroic protest by Greenpeace activists, who forced Johnson’s cavalcade to dip and swerve its way along the Mall, was a harbinger of something bigger. This is a cabinet handpicked to be driven from office amid protest and scandal. | In this context, the heroic protest by Greenpeace activists, who forced Johnson’s cavalcade to dip and swerve its way along the Mall, was a harbinger of something bigger. This is a cabinet handpicked to be driven from office amid protest and scandal. |
| • Paul Mason is a writer and broadcaster on economics and social justice | • Paul Mason is a writer and broadcaster on economics and social justice |
| Martha Gill: ‘A cabinet designed to be frustrated in its purpose’ | Martha Gill: ‘A cabinet designed to be frustrated in its purpose’ |
| What is Johnson’s cabinet designed to do? The old gang from his leave campaign are all there, but it’s not about loyalty: those who have spent recent weeks slithering across hot coals for Johnson – James Brokenshire, Matt Hancock – have not been rewarded with the jobs or promotions they wanted. The theme of this government is the theme of Johnson’s “flagship policy”: delivering a no-deal Brexit. | What is Johnson’s cabinet designed to do? The old gang from his leave campaign are all there, but it’s not about loyalty: those who have spent recent weeks slithering across hot coals for Johnson – James Brokenshire, Matt Hancock – have not been rewarded with the jobs or promotions they wanted. The theme of this government is the theme of Johnson’s “flagship policy”: delivering a no-deal Brexit. |
| No-deal Brexit (mentioned, strikingly, in Johnson’s speech on the steps of Downing Street and pre-blamed on Brussels) is now fairly likely. Few expect him to achieve a better EU deal over the summer, and his choice of ministers shows us he doesn’t either. No one left in the cabinet – now just true believers and neutered hostages – is likely to resign over a no deal. This is not a government of unity. It is a hammerhead shark of a government: it has one purpose, and it is engineered to die if it it stops moving towards it. | No-deal Brexit (mentioned, strikingly, in Johnson’s speech on the steps of Downing Street and pre-blamed on Brussels) is now fairly likely. Few expect him to achieve a better EU deal over the summer, and his choice of ministers shows us he doesn’t either. No one left in the cabinet – now just true believers and neutered hostages – is likely to resign over a no deal. This is not a government of unity. It is a hammerhead shark of a government: it has one purpose, and it is engineered to die if it it stops moving towards it. |
| But what is interesting is that it is also a government with a not dissimilar starting position to Theresa May’s. She too drew out her red lines immediately. She too courted the hard Brexiteers and ignored the one nation tories. Parliamentary maths has not altered in Johnson’s favour. He has a majority of just two. He will not get Brexit through this parliament. | But what is interesting is that it is also a government with a not dissimilar starting position to Theresa May’s. She too drew out her red lines immediately. She too courted the hard Brexiteers and ignored the one nation tories. Parliamentary maths has not altered in Johnson’s favour. He has a majority of just two. He will not get Brexit through this parliament. |
| But this, too, has been priced in. His cabinet is designed to be frustrated in its purpose. It has been built to look like it is trying, really hard, to make Brexit happen. And then it has been built to go into an election on a hard Brexit platform. That Johnson has appointed to chief advisor Dominic Cummings – difficult, unbiddable and a master campaign strategist – tells you the real purpose of this government: to win a mandate for no deal in the autumn. | But this, too, has been priced in. His cabinet is designed to be frustrated in its purpose. It has been built to look like it is trying, really hard, to make Brexit happen. And then it has been built to go into an election on a hard Brexit platform. That Johnson has appointed to chief advisor Dominic Cummings – difficult, unbiddable and a master campaign strategist – tells you the real purpose of this government: to win a mandate for no deal in the autumn. |
| • Martha Gill is a political journalist and former lobby correspondent | • Martha Gill is a political journalist and former lobby correspondent |
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| Sajid Javid | Sajid Javid |
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