Johnson appoints West Midlands MP as Chancellor
Sajid Javid has become the first West Midlands MP to be Chancellor of the Exchequer in nearly 50 years after he was appointed by new Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
Javid follows in the footsteps of Birmingham MPs Roy Jenkins and Neville Chamberlain in occupying 11 Downing Street. He also becomes the UK’s first Asian Chancellor.
While Javid’s appointment as Chancellor is one of the first Cabinet apointments to be confirmed, 14 of Theresa May’s final Cabinet have confirmed their departures – led by former Foreign Secretary and leadership contender Jeremy Hunt.
The Midlands Engine ministerial champion and South London MP, James Brokenshire, has left his role as Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government while Staffordshire Moorlands MP Karen Bradley’s time as Northern Ireland Secretary has also ended.
James Brokenshire MP
Claire Perry (energy), Caroline Nokes (immigration) and Mel Stride (Leader of the House of Commons), who also attended Cabinet meetings, have left their jobs too.
After 13 years service on the front bench including 9 in Government will be heading to the backbenches. Has been a huge privilege to serve, but looking forward to being released from collective responsibility and campaigning on issues that matter to me and my constituents.
— James Brokenshire (@JBrokenshire) July 24, 2019
Javid was the leading contender to become Chancellor in a Johnson Government, once he finished fourth in the Conservative leadership contest.
The Rochdale-born politician has been MP for the Conservative safe seat of Bromsgrove since 2010. He held a range of ministerial positions in David Cameron’s and Theresa May’s governments, including Economic Secretary to the Treasury and Financial Secretary to the Treasury. He was also Business Secretary for a year and has spent the last 15 months as Home Secretary.
Before entering Parliament, Javid had an 18-year career in banking, with Chase Manhattan Bank and Deutsche Bank, where he became a managing director with a reported salary of £3m.
More to follow.
