Will Boris's new appointments win over backbenchers?

Coffee House Shots

The Spectator

News, Politics, Government, Daily News

4.4 • 2.1K Ratings

🗓️ 7 February 2022

⏱️ 14 minutes

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Summary

On Saturday night, No. 10 announced two new appointments: Steve Barclay would become chief of staff, and Guto Harri would become director of communications. Will Downing Street's reshuffle improve the mood of Tory MPs? And what else does Boris Johnson have to do?

Katy Balls talks to Fraser Nelson and James Forsyth about the new faces inside No. 10.

Transcript

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0:00.0	This podcast is sponsored by Canacord Genuity Wealth Management, award-winning wealth managers who go above and beyond to support and guide you.
0:09.2	Visit can-dowealth.com to start building your wealth with confidence.
0:24.7	Hello and welcome to Coffee House Shots, The Spectator's Daily Politics Podcast.
0:28.3	I'm Katie Palls and I'm joined by Fraser Nelson and James Hussife.
0:33.0	So this is the week Boris Johnson wants us to talk about his new look number 10,
0:34.7	and there is plenty to talk about.
0:38.9	On Saturday night, there was an announcement to two new appointments, Steve Barclay,
0:43.6	the minister to chief of staff and Guillaurey to Director of Communications.
0:49.0	James, before we get to Goethe Harry and we got an interview, we'll be able to share with listeners.
0:53.2	Can you talk us through Steve Barclay and why he was a very senior role,
0:54.4	but also he's going to have to bounce for other duties? So Steve Barclay is a kind of cabinet minister whose role currently
0:58.8	most resembles that of a chief of staff in that, you know, he is in the cabinet office,
1:03.4	meant to be making sure that, you know, things happen across government that what the centre
1:07.5	wants is actually reflected in what departments are doing. So I think it would have been
1:11.3	impossible for him to have turned this job down. I think hiring him solves a problem in that it
1:18.9	says to them that they've got a kind of credible figure as chief of staff. I think, though,
1:23.6	that you would have to be beyond the Stokanebite to be able to balance being chief of staff, with also being a Chancellor of Duxter and a constituency MPs. I mean, that
1:34.1	is going to be a challenge. And I think the other thing he's trying to do is create this new
1:38.4	office of the department of the prime minister, essentially, which might be a good idea.
1:42.6	I mean, there has been a case for something. I like this for quite some time. But trying to do all this on the fly with very little plan
1:50.2	when the prime minister's political capital and authority are low is not going to be easy.
1:57.2	I also think that you see a pattern here of Andrew Griffiths, the Prime Minister's PPS,
	...

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