Boris Johnson took charge of the British government on Wednesday after taking over as the new Prime Minister. His first two announcements about the new cabinet will stun his critics. Johnson has appointed Pakistani origin Sajid Javid the new Chancellor of Exchequer, deemed as the number two in the British government, and Indian origin Priti Patel as the new Home Secretary.
Javid, who unsuccessfully ran the race for the PM against Johnson, was the Home Secretary in the government headed by Theresa May.
Soon after Johnson’s victory in the leadership race was announced, as many as 14 ministers quit their posts, making way for his cabinet reshuffle plans.
On Javid’s appointment, a statement from 10 Downing Street said, “The Queen has been pleased to approve the appointment of the Rt Hon Sajid Javid MP as Chancellor of the Exchequer.”
Javid will now move into 11 Downing Street as the prime minister’s next-door neighbour.
Johnson’s third appointment has been of Dominic Raab, who’s been made the new Foreign Secretary.
Johnson’s election as the new Conservative leader became necessary after Theresa May decided to step down as the country’s prime minister following her failure to secure an acceptable Brexit deal. Johnson has promised that the UK will leave the EU by 31 October.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had congratulated Johnson on becoming the new prime minister of the United Kingdom. He had tweeted, “Congratulations @BorisJohnson on assuming office as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. I wish you success and look forward to working with you to further strengthen India – UK partnership in all spheres. @10DowningStreet”
A poll by London’s Sky News said that Britons felt more pessimistic about the future under Boris Johnson’s premiership, though he was still the preferred prime minister over Jeremy Corbyn of the Labour party.
Four in 10 Britons (41%) are more pessimistic about the future of the UK now Boris Johnson is prime minister, with just 27% feeling more optimistic, and 24% saying it makes no difference either way and 8% answering “don’t know.”
As reported by Janta Ka Reporter first, Johnson fulfilled his commitment to increasing the representation of ethnic minorities in his new cabinet by appointing Alok Sharma and Rishi Sunak as International Development Secretary and Chief Secretary to Treasury respectively. Sunak will be able to attend the cabinet meetings as Chief Secretary. He was a junior immigration minister in the government headed by May.