Boris Johnson has continued to shake up his Downing Street operation as he played down reports of a rift with potential successor Rishi Sunak.
The Prime Minister moved an ally of his wife Carrie Johnson out of No 10 and is expected to make further changes in an effort to secure his own position in the face of Tory discontent over the partygate row.
Meanwhile, he insisted he had no doubts about the Chancellor’s loyalty amid speculation that Mr Sunak is positioning himself for a leadership bid.
Mr Johnson was joined by Mr Sunak for a visit to a hospital in Kent to mark an announcement on cancer waiting time targets.
But the Daily Telegraph reported that the Treasury had held up plans to clear the NHS backlog because of concerns over value for money.
It follows Mr Sunak publicly distancing himself from the Prime Minister’s attack on Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer over the Jimmy Savile case.
Asked if he ever worries Mr Sunak might be after his job, Mr Johnson said: “I think that what we’re doing is working together across the whole of Government to fix the Covid backlogs which, believe me, is a massive priority for us, for everybody in the country.”
Pressed on whether he has doubts about the Chancellor’s loyalty, Mr Johnson said: “Absolutely not.”
He added: “Everybody in No 10 and the Treasury are working together in harmony to deal with the big problems that the country faces and clearing the Covid backlogs.”
In other developments:
– Special adviser Henry Newman, a friend of Carrie Johnson’s, left No 10 for a role at Michael Gove’s Levelling Up Department in a “mutually agreed decision with the Prime Minister”.
– Health Secretary Sajid Javid said attacks aimed at Mrs Johnson were misogynistic, “very undignified and very unfair”.
– New No 10 communications chief Guto Harri said the Prime Minister sang Gloria Gaynor hit I Will Survive with him after he joined the Downing Street operation.
– New policy director Andrew Griffiths said voters wanted the Tories to “return rapidly to the point when we can cut taxes”.
Further personnel changes are expected in the coming days in No 10.
Mr Johnson said: “I think what people want is for the Government to focus, not on stuff going on at Westminster, but to focus on life… beyond Westminster, and to focus on the needs of the country. And that is what we’re doing.”
The Times reported Mr Johnson was hoping to announce the appointment of Dame Emily Lawson as the new permanent secretary in No 10 this week.
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman acknowledged there would be more change in No 10: “We still need to announce the new permanent secretary for No 10, for example. So there will be additional recruitment into No 10 and there’s an ongoing process for the PPS (principal private secretary) role too, so that needs to be announced.”
On the ministerial side, some of new chief of staff Stephen Barclay’s Cabinet Office role will be “shared among Cabinet Office ministers”.
A limited reshuffle is also widely expected to see Mark Spencer moved from his post as Chief Whip as Mr Johnson seeks to rebuild bridges with his MPs, although the Prime Minister still has “full confidence” in him, No 10 said.
Senior backbencher Tom Tugendhat, a potential leadership candidate if Mr Johnson is forced out, said the Prime Minister’s future depends on how the “reset” goes.
The beleaguered leader was left wounded by the so-called partygate saga – with the police investigation still hanging over his head – and his refusal to apologise for a slur made against Sir Keir over the failure to prosecute Savile.
The acute issues built on longer-term concerns from MPs over the rising cost of living, a looming hike in National Insurance, a series of sleaze allegations and the general running of the No 10 operation.
Some 15 Tory MPs have now publicly called for Mr Johnson to resign but not all have sent letters of no confidence to 1922 Committee chairman Sir Graham Brady, although the true total of Conservatives who have turned against the Prime Minister may be far higher.
The total number of letters submitted is a closely guarded secret but if 54 are received by Sir Graham a no confidence vote would be triggered.
Health Secretary Sajid Javid told Sky News: “I don’t think there is going to be a leadership election.”
He also defended Mrs Johnson, who has been the target of Tory criticism over her perceived influence in No 10.
Mrs Johnson issued a rare public statement on Sunday insisting she “plays no role in Government” and has been targeted by “enemies” of the Prime Minister in a “brutal briefing campaign”.
Asked about the criticism of Mrs Johnson, Mr Javid said: “This whole focus on Carrie Johnson in some of these reports, I think it’s very undignified and very unfair.”
Labour leader Sir Keir said the Tory internal rows were distracting the Government from the business of running the country.
He said people concerned about the cost of living were “seeing… a Government of chaos and incompetence, distrust and lack of satisfaction in the Prime Minister”.
