Very surprised by the sacking on Julian Smith now ex Northern Ireland minister

[Zak33]

https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-br...-idUKKBN20713T

I am genuinely shocked by that. Big Boris must proper hate him, because frankly he did a hard job wuite well !

Colum Eastwood, the leader of the SDLP, one of the five parties that re-entered the regional assembly, said Smith’s approach had been central to breaking the logjam after his predecessors had tried and failed in successive talks.

“It defies belief that after the successful restoration of power sharing following a three-year collapse, Julian Smith’s reward is a cabinet office P45.,” Eastwood, a member of the British parliament, said in a statement.

“It tells you all you need to know about Boris Johnson’s attitude to the North... Sacking the most successful Secretary of State in a decade shows Johnson’s dangerous indifference to us.”

Northern Ireland First Minister Arlene Foster of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) said on Twitter that while she may not have always agreed with Smith, “his dedication to the role was incredible.”

If I was a betting man on this, I'd have had dough on him staying put...

[cptwhite_uk]

Javid's gone.....oooph!

[neonplanet40]

Didn't even get a budget out

[Zak33]

Javid wanted Cummings gone I think....

[neonplanet40]

Cummings runs the show. What was all that nonsense about taking back control from unelected representatives?

[The Hand]

Javid was a remainer, so it might mean a more aggressive posture from the UK in the EU trade talks with No. 11 now under complete BoJo/Cummings/Leaver control. Rumour has it BoJo wanted Javid to ditch his advisor team and he refused and resigned. Hard to say obviously at the moment though with all this rumour and speculation etc.

Edit:

Javid's replacement Rishi Sunak did campaign for Leave:

"Mr Sunak campaigned for Leave in the EU referendum, and his constituency voted 55% Leave."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-51490893

[Zak33]

Sunak was positioned so fast, this was pre ordained.

Cummings wants control of the budget, and he's got the hump that Javid wanted his own team and not Cumming's controlled droids.

couldn't have engineered it better tbh.

[atemporal]

Sunak was positioned so fast, this was pre ordained.

Cummings wants control of the budget, and he's got the hump that Javid wanted his own team and not Cumming's controlled droids.

couldn't have engineered it better tbh.

Am I the only one who is rather uneasy at the influence this cummings chap seems to have?

[Smudger]

Am I the only one who is rather uneasy at the influence this cummings chap seems to have?

He's running the show now. He needs yes men/women, no matter how effective (or not) the previous incumbents were at their jobs.

[Zak33]

Am I the only one who is rather uneasy at the influence this cummings chap seems to have?

nope,, you are not alone.

[neonplanet40]

To be fair, the UK public knew this before the election and they still voted for a Tory majority. As such, the majority mustn't care.

[Zak33]

To be fair, the UK public knew this before the election and they still voted for a Tory majority. As such, the majority mustn't care.

I don't get you.

How does Julian Smith being sacked tie in with a country voting in a Tory Majority?
It wasn't in their election manifesto
It didn't say "Lets employ a chap to actually try to sort this out and then immiedatley sack him"

[Saracen999]

I don't get you.

How does Julian Smith being sacked tie in with a country voting in a Tory Majority?
It wasn't in their election manifesto
It didn't say "Lets employ a chap to actually try to sort this out and then immiedatley sack him"

It doesn't (IMHO) tie in with their election manifesto, not least because future cabinet appointments aren't put it manistoes (manifesti?)

But it does inded tie into the election, albeit indirectly.

Firstly, the election result, i.e. the size of majority, gives BoJo the power to do it.

Second, some pretty big promises were made, like investment in the north, and that is going to require shedloads of money .... in order to meet election promises. And for any PM, that requires getting it past the Chancellor. There are a number of things Blair wanted to do, but Brown said no., And despite Blair's electoral majorities, he didn't have sufficient party capital to be able to do it anyway.

There have also been several instances, during and since the election, of "sources close to" Javid (which is usually code for a SPAD) pre-empting decision by the PM in ways that looked to me (and to No. 10) as attempts to pressurise, or even bounce, BoJo into decisions they wanted. Those "sources" may have been acting with, or without, Javid's approval. Who knows. But if I was Chancellor and one of my SPAD's was cheeky enough to make political announcements without my approval, he (or she) would be thrown out so hard they'd bounce several times.

So .... if either Javid, or his advisors, were seen to, or even believed to, be acting against the PM then, as Javid himself pointed out, the PM is entitled to put conditions on a renewal offer. After all, it is the PM's Cabinet, and they all serve at his/her pleasure.


Besides, I'm nit entirely convincex Javid isn't playing the long game. We know he wanted the job of PM 'cos he ran for it, there is no vacany nnow and not likely to be for quite a while, But being the "principled man" that resigned rather than fire his staff won't do him any harm at all come the next Tory leadership contest. Hence, the "long game".

But in any event, if BoJo wants to get things done, the last tihing he needs is resistance from No. 11, whether it be the Chancellor or simply his staff.

And finally, it's a warning shot for every other Secretary of State. "If I'm prepared to oust, or risk ousting my Chancellor, don't think I won't can you too if you don't perform" is the message BoJo just sent right across government. Smith is a secondary casualfy.

That's how it indirectly ties to the election - necessary to drive things through, and as importantly, drive them through in a timely way.

[kalniel]

"I'm going to give you an absolutely categorical assurance I will keep Sajid Javid as my chancellor. I think he's a great guy, and I think he is doing a fantastic job."

Well, I guess we know what 'categorical assurance' means now.

[Saracen999]

He can't do much about it if Javid resigns, can he?

[neonplanet40]

I don't get you.

How does Julian Smith being sacked tie in with a country voting in a Tory Majority?
It wasn't in their election manifesto
It didn't say "Lets employ a chap to actually try to sort this out and then immiedatley sack him"

Hi Zac, sorry my reference was CUmmings running the show behind the scenes. And that the tories got their majority with people knowing this was the case in advance.

As for Julian. That's a shame. He seems to have been well regarded at home according to my family and friends. He made a good positive impact in his short time.