Johnson makes changes to Downing Street to keep his gov’t alive

London, Feb 6 (EFE).- British prime minister Boris Johnson named a new chief of staff and director of communications as part of a Downing Street overhaul aimed at keeping afloat his government after weeks of controversy.

Over the past few hours, Johnson announced that Cabinet Office minister Stephen Barclay, will be the new Chief of Staff, replacing Dan Rosenfield, who resigned.

Former BBC journalist and former advisor to Johnson as Mayor of London, Guto Harri, takes over as Director of Communications, replacing Jack Doyle, who also stepped down on Thursday.

Both Rosenfield and Doyle quit on Thursday in the wake of the scandal of the parties organized in Downing Street during the pandemic.

“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,” the premier said.

Five close aides of Johnson resigned between Thursday and Friday, including his longtime ally and policy chef Munira Mirza over his accusations against Labor leader Keir Starmer. Andrew Griffith replaced her.

Mirza’s colleague Elena Narozanski also resigned, without specifying her reasons.

Doyle, Rosenfield and Johnson’s private secretary, Martin Reynolds are involved in the 2020 and 2021 celebrations that police are now investigating for alleged infringement of health restrictions.

The Labor spokeswoman for the Cabinet Ministry and deputy leader of that party, Angela Rayner, on Sunday criticized the appointment of Barclay, who now combines the new position with the previous one.

It shows that Johnson had “clearly run out of serious people willing to serve under his chaotic and incompetent leadership”.

Lawmakers indicated that it is potentially illegal for Barclay to combine the role of elected MP with the role of Chief of Staff at Downing Street, while continuing to run the neighboring Cabinet Office.

The main role of Barclay, who was Brexit minister during Theresa May’s government, will be to integrate that ministry with a new Prime Minister’s Office, government sources said. EFE

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