New Chancellor Nadhim Zahawi says it is “easy to walk away” from government, but “much tougher to deliver for the country” as he replaces Rishi Sunak in the Treasury.
Speaking to Sky News’ Kay Burley on his first full day in the job, he said he backed Boris Johnson as prime minister, adding: “The team in government today is the team that will deliver”.
But his predecessor, Mr Sunak, and Health Secretary Sajid Javid both resigned from cabinet last night, saying they had lost confidence in the PM.
They were followed out the door by a swathe of more junior ministers, and Solicitor General Alex Chalk.
Politics Hub: New chancellor denies he threatened to quit – live updates
Mr Zahawi rejected reports he threatened to resign if he was not given the chancellor’s post in the forced reshuffle, telling Kay Burley: “No, I didn’t threaten to resign at all. This his is a team game and you play for the team and you deliver for the team.”
And the chancellor insisted he believed Mr Johnson had integrity, saying his boss was “determined to deliver for this country.”
Boris Johnson prepares for double probe at PMQs and Liaison Committee hearing after mini-cabinet reshuffle prompted by shock resignations
Nadhim Zahawi made chancellor after Rishi Sunak resigns – as Steve Barclay replaces Sajid Javid as health secretary
Beth Rigby on why things could get uglier still for Boris Johnson
The resignation drama unfolded last night minutes after Mr Johnson said sorry for hiring his former deputy chief whip Chris Pincher, despite knowing he had faced complaints over inappropriate behaviour back in 2019.
The apology came after days of changing messages from Number 10 over the resignation of Mr Pincher, who quit last week after being accused of groping two men in a private member’s club in London.
