In a good news to Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy, his son-in-law Rishi Sunak has been appointed as UK’s new finance minister by Prime Minister Boris Johnson in an extensive Cabinet reshuffle amid reports of serious differences within Downing Street.
The 39-year-old Rishi will join Priti Patel on the top government bench after she held on to her post as Home Secretary. Outside the Treasury office soon after his promotion, A delighted Rishi told reporters thatthe was “delighted to be appointed” Chancellor and had “a lot to get on with”.
Pakistani-origin Sajid Javid resigned as Chancellor in a shock move in one of the biggest shake-ups since Johnson won a thumping majority in the December 2019 General Election.
According to sources close to the former Chancellor, he refused to give in to Johnson’s demand to get rid of all his special advisers at No. 11 Downing Street for the advisory teams of No. 10 and 11 Downing Street to work more closely aligned as one team.
It followed reports of growing tensions within Javid’s team and the Prime Minister’s Chief Special Adviser Dominic Cummings.
Javid is replaced by Sunak, who was until now Javid’s junior as the Chief Secretary to the Treasury and seen as a rising star within the Cabinet.
Sunak is set to move into No. 11 Downing Street, next door to the Prime Minister’s office as he takes charge of the second most important government position as the finance minister.
He will have to hit the ground running as the UK Budget is due to be tabled next month. The Prime Minister and Chancellor are traditionally seen a double act in British politics, working close together and also living as neighbours on Downing Street.
“The Queen has been graciously pleased to approve the appointment of Rt Hon Rishi Sunak as Chancellor of the Exchequer,” Downing Street said in the official announcement on the elevation of the three-time MP.
The MP for Richmond in Yorkshire, married to Murthy’s daughter Akshata, first entered the UK Parliament in 2015 and has fast risen up the Conservative Party ranks as a staunch Brexiteer who had back Johnson’s strategy to leave the European Union (EU).
Sunak campaigned for Leave in the EU referendum, and his constituency voted 55 per cent Leave.
He voted for former prime minister Theresa May’s Brexit deal on all three occasions, and was an early supporter of Johnson.
Sunak is seen as a rising star in the Conservative Party, with endorsements from people including former Conservative leader Lord Hague of Richmond, who has described him as an “exceptional individual”.
