Is Rishi Sunak facing the axe? The Sunday Times reports this evening that Boris Johnson threatened to sack his chancellor this week during a meeting with No. 10 aides. After a letter Sunak wrote to the Prime Minister arguing for an easing of travel restrictions made its way into last week’s paper, Johnson was left in a rage as to who was behind the leak. In the Monday call, on realising that Sunak was absent, he is alleged to have said:
‘I’ve been thinking about it. Maybe it’s time we looked at Rishi as the next secretary of state for health. He could potentially do a very good job there.’
No-one in No. 10 is denying that Johnson said this. However, some play down the severity of the comments – suggesting it was a joke rather than a plan of action. Yet even if it was meant as a light-hearted comment, the very fact the Prime Minister suggested Sunak could be demoted in a reshuffle points to trouble ahead.
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