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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
National
Larry Elliott Economics editor

Zahawi faces shortest chancellorship since 1970 – and may be glad of it

The chancellor, Nadhim Zahawi, introduces Liz Truss at a hustings event at the NEC in Birmingham as part of her campaign to be leader of the Conservative party and the next prime minister.
The chancellor Nadhim Zahawi’s aides say he is enjoying the challenge of the job. Photograph: Jacob King/PA

Gordon Brown used to joke that there were two sorts of chancellors: the ones who failed and the ones who got out in time. Nadhim Zahawi looks like being in the second category.

Appointed by Boris Johnson on 5 July as he struggled in vain to remain prime minister, Zahawi is likely to be the shortest-serving chancellor since Iain Macleod died in office in 1970. Macleod was in charge of the Treasury for a month; Zahawi’s tenure will probably last only twice as long.

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