Sajid Javid 'voiced anger' to PM over adviser sacking
 

Chancellor Sajid Javid "voiced his anger" to Boris Johnson over the sacking of one of his special advisers by No 10, the BBC has learned.

On Thursday, Sonia Khan was escorted from Downing Street by police after her security clearance was withdrawn.

It came after she was summoned to a meeting with the prime minister's senior aide Dominic Cummings, about government leaks.

Both Downing Street and Mr Javid have declined to comment about the issue.

The BBC's political correspondent, Iain Watson, said there appeared to be an informal investigation being conducted into the leak of the Operation Yellowhammer documents - commissioned under the previous regime at Downing Street - setting out the potential consequences of a no-deal Brexit.

A Downing Street source had previously pointed the finger for the leak at an unnamed former minister, prompting Mr Hammond to write to Mr Johnson and ask him to "apologise for the misleading briefing from No 10".

At the meeting with Mr Cummings, Ms Khan, who worked under Mr Hammond, handed over both her personal and work phones, and her phone logs were checked.

Evidence was found that she had been in touch with former colleagues who had worked for Mr Hammond, but not that she had been involved in leaking any sensitive government information.

No reason was given for her dismissal, but the BBC's Iain Watson said it was suggested the issue was about whether she could be trusted to be transparent with No 10.

He added that the dismissal - the second from Mr Javid's team within the month - comes amid efforts to impose greater staff discipline in Whitehall under the new PM, including a crackdown on leaks.

A Whitehall source told the BBC the sacking had created an "unhelpful political row" between the chancellor and Mr Johnson, which was a "distraction from what the two men wanted to talk about - more funding for public services".

They added that the prime minister and chancellor had an "extremely close relationship" and this row would not derail their policy agenda.

And a former minister told the BBC he believed the dismissal was in conflict with the Ministerial Code, as staffing matters should be the responsibility of the relevant minister - in this case, the chancellor.

However, Whitehall's code of conduct does allow the prime minister to withdraw consent from the appointment of a special adviser by one of his ministers.

This happened to Mr Johnson when he was foreign secretary and Prime Minister Theresa May's team blocked the appointment of Will Walden - the former BBC journalist who had worked for Mr Johnson at City Hall.

And Mr Johnson has also blocked some of his cabinet ministers from making their first-choice appointments.

Ms Khan's dismissal follows the recent departure of another of Mr Javid's advisers and a female former adviser to cabinet minister Gavin Williamson who had moved to No 10.

One insider says the bigger picture is that, with Downing Street under new management, the disciplinary process has to be reset - and that the gender of those who have left is irrelevant.

It comes as Mr Javid pledged to invest an extra £400m in further education for 16 to 19-year-olds next year when he sets out his spending plans on Wednesday.

Writing in the Guardian, the chancellor said the money would help fund new vocational qualifications - T-levels - which are due to be introduced in England from 2020.

It follows the government's announcement on Friday of a multi-billion pound cash boost for schools in England over the next three years,

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-49532243
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The cracks are showing

"The cracks are showing "



I am sure Dominic Cummings/Boris Johnson
do not care.
Until Chancellor Sajid Javid gives a interview
its all Hype.

He was supposed to be on LBC this morning ,but pulled out.

Well I've little respect for Javid now, turning into a crawler to Johnson just to get a better Ministerial position.
Turning his back on important stances he'd taken even during the leadership campaign.

This sounds quite odd that this person has been removed, without Javid's knowledge or input.
It is looking a rather sinister development of this government in another direction.

Shades of Campbell and Blair about it in a stronger sense however.

Jobs and life in politics at the higher level, is and probably to a degree, has to be ruthless at times.

It will be interesting to watch if Javid just pays lip service to what's happened.
Also if he is prepared to tolerate this awful Cummings advisor to Johnson.

Whatever may be the real reasons behind this sacking is, and this is the second of Javid's staff to go.
It, on the surface, sends a sinister message of what this PM, no matter what he says to others faces, is going to allow to go on in HIS government.

Cummings is a qunt

Yes
he will pull out of all interviews.


Of course
this will be brought up
when has to do Money Interviews
soon.

He is the adviser to the PM
that does not have time for you.

"Well I've little respect for Javid now,"


Hold on Joey
we do not have his own personal view
yet.


Its a big hype

:laugh:

By all accounts he is an arrogant qunt.
He will be forced out eventually like other advisers were before him

Yes he is the Controller.
Nothing strange.


New Labour had the same.

I lost respect for Javid for his turnaround of his stance from the leadership to crawl to Johnson for the Chancellor's job.

Not over this issue.

However let's see what he actually says and does for this member of his staff, he's apparently so outraged at the way he's lost her.

Lol. Funny how that's alright bc he is brexiters. Pure hypocrisy