Boris Johnson has appointed a government minister and former adviser to jobs in Downing Street, after a wave of resignations this week.
Cabinet Office minister Steve Barclay will become the PM’s chief of staff.
And Guto Harri – a former BBC correspondent and adviser to Mr Johnson when he was Mayor of London – will become director of communications.
Mr Johnson said the shake-up would “improve how No 10 operates”.
It comes at the end of a difficult week for the PM, which has seen five No 10 aides resign and the publication of the initial findings of the Sue Gray report into events at Downing Street while Covid restrictions were in place.
Three of the departed senior aides were caught up in the lockdown parties row, including senior civil servant Martin Reynolds, who sent out an invitation to a “bring your own booze” party.
But policy chief Munira Mirza quit over the PM’s false claim that Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer failed to prosecute Jimmy Savile when he was director of public prosecutions, and his refusal to apologise.
Announcing the new appointments, Mr Johnson said: “This week I promised change, so that we can get on with the job the British public elected us to do.
“We need to continue our recovery from the pandemic, help hundreds of thousands more people into work, and deliver our ambitious agenda to level up the entire country, improving people’s opportunities regardless of where they’re from.
“The changes I’m announcing to my senior team today will improve how No 10 operates, strengthen the role of my Cabinet and backbench colleagues, and accelerate our defining mission to level up the country.”
More announcements are expected in the coming days with what No 10 said would be a “particular focus on improving engagement and liaison with MPs”.
Following the announcement, Mr Barclay tweeted it was “an honour to have been asked by the PM to serve as chief of staff” – adding he would continue to serve in the Cabinet Office.
“I am looking forward to working with the PM, ministers and parliamentary colleagues on the issues that matter most to our country.”
Journalist Guto Harri was Mr Johnson’s spokesman and chief of staff during his first term as London mayor.
He later appeared as a broadcaster on GB News but quit last July after he was suspended for taking the knee during a discussion about racism towards England’s black footballers.
Source: BBC
