Boris Johnson has been accused of “shuffling deckchairs on the Titanic” as he moved around Tory Ministers in a bid to persuade his pary that he has a grip on his scandal-ridden government.
The Prime Minister embarked on a mini-reshuffle of minor ministers on Tuesday, ignoring the cost of living crisis being debated in the Commons and being felt across the UK.
Tory toff Commons leader J acob Rees-Mogg was shunted aside in the reshuffle and sent to run Brexit “opportunities” while the Chief Whip was sacked as the desperate Prime Minister tried to move on from Partygate and No10 resignations.
Rees-Mogg regularly sparred with the SNP on independence in the Commons and described Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross as a 'lightweight' for failing to back the floundering Prime Minister.
He will be replaced by chief Whip Mark Spencer in the role.
The Commons leader is expected to uphold standards but Spencer himself is under investigation following Conservative MP Nusrat Ghani’s claim that she was sacked because of her “Muslimness”.
Chris Heaton-Harris, the Foreign Office Minister who had been trying to shore up support for Johnson, replaced Spencer as chief whip.
The moves follow the appointment of Stephen Barclay, the Cabinet Office minister, as Johnson’s new chief of staff and Guto Harri as his new communications director.
Downing Street said the reshuffle would improve links between No 10 and Parliament.
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “As the PM said last week, it is important that we both make immediate changes to improve both how the No 10 operation works and the work of the Cabinet Office, and further changes to strengthen Cabinet government and improve that vital connection between No 10 and Parliament."
But the SNP’s Westminster Deputy Leader Kirsten Oswald MP commented: “No amount of shuffling the deckchairs on the Titanic can stop Boris Johnson’s sleaze-ridden government from sinking further into chaos."
She added: "The Prime Minister broke the rules and misled Parliament. His lies and slurs have debased politics, and he has become a distraction from the issues that really matter - like the Tory cost of living crisis, which has spiralled out of control.
“Tory MPs must finally show him the door. The longer he remains in post, the more damage he will do to any remaining public trust in the UK government.”
To sign up to the Daily Record Politics newsletter, click here.
