Boris Johnson is reshuffling his Cabinet today and has demoted Jacob Rees-Mogg as the Leader of the House of Commons to another role.
As part of the Prime Minister’s mini reshuffle in the wake of the partygate scandal which has rocked Downing Street Rees-Mogg has been given a new Brexit role.
This is a clear demotion from being the Minister of State and he will remain as a member of the Cabinet.
A source told The Times that he will be “looked after” as he has been a passionate friend and defender of Johnson.
The PM’s spokesperson said, “It’s a small level of ministerial changes.
“These are the appointments we’ve talked about before, about the need to share portfolios and you’ll see some changes there.
“You can expect ministerial level changes. I’m not going to go guiding on Cabinet and things like that.”
The Cabinet Office Minister Stephen Barclay has been appointed as Johnson’s new chief of staff whilst Andrew Griffith MP has been handed the role of No.10 policy unit.
A notice from No10 said, “The Queen has been pleased to approve the appointment of the Rt Hon Jacob Rees-Mogg MP to be a Minister of State (Minister for Brexit Opportunities and Government efficiency) in the Cabinet Office.
“He will be a member of the Cabinet.”
The Chief Whipp Mark Spencer will be side stepped to become the Commons leader replacing Rees-Mogg as he failed to get a grip on Tory rebel backbenchers, The Times reported.
Johnson hired Guto Harri, a trusted former City Hall aide and ex BBC journalist, as his communications chief.
Johnson sang the song to his new director of communications, Guto Harri “I will survive” in Downing Street when he was asked by Harri will he survive.
Johnson also asked Harri if he should take the knee, this is in response to him quitting GB News after the suspension for taking the knee in regard to racism in football.
Harri said, “I went in to see the Prime Minister at five o’clock on Friday after filming The World In Place in Barry, and I went through the Cabinet Office in Whitehall to avoid being seen. in the street and go through the cramped corridors in Downing Street to get to his office.
“I walked in and did a salute and said ‘Prime Minister, Guto Harri reporting for duty’ and he stood up from behind his desk and started taking the salute but then he said ‘What am I doing, I should take the knee for you.’
“And we both laughed. Then I asked ‘Are you going to survive Boris?’ And he said in his deep, slow and purposeful voice and started to sing a little while finishing the sentence and saying ‘I Will Survive’.”
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