Boris Johnson has made Steve Barclay his new Health Secretary after Sajid Javid’s dramatic resignation from the role. It comes as the Prime Minister is battling to remain in No 10 as his handling of the row over scandal-hit former deputy chief whip Chris Pincher prompted the departures of Mr Javid and chancellor Rishi Sunak, with both writing damning resignation letters.
Mr Johnson’s new Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has been his chief of staff and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, and has also previously served as a Brexit secretary. Labour greeted Mr Barclay’s appointment to the helm of the Health Department by congratulating him as “the shortest serving Health Secretary in history”.
Mr Barclay was handed the chief of staff role in February as part of a shake-up of No 10 in response to the partygate scandal. It came as Mr Johnson promised a “reset” in No 10 after he was left wounded following a swathe of resignations from among his aides and longer-term concerns over the cost of living, sleaze allegations and the general running of the Downing Street operation.
