It sounds more like one of Aesop’s Fables than a story about feuding at the top of Boris Johnson’s Government – the tale of the ‘chatty pig’ and ‘the gazelle’.
Treasury dissatisfaction over Johnson’s leadership style as well as the No 10 operation that he oversees, spilled into spectacular fashion last week when a source from No 10 told BBC Political Editor Laura Kuenssberg of ‘a lot concern’ in the building over the PM.
It happened in the middle of the Prime Minister’s deplorable speech to Confederation of British Industry. He lost his place, and then ad-libbed surreally about the economic symbolism of Peppa Pig’s cartoon character.
Leak’s perpetrator was called the “chattypig” to make a joke about Johnson, who bailed him out of putting the country in lockdown by telling the media about Covid restrictions that were being implemented before the PM made his final decision.
Allies of Boris Johnson have been concerned by claims that one of Dominic Cummings’s closest colleagues, adviser Cleo Watson, is in line for a senior role at the Treasury – entrenching perceptions of it as a rival power base
The divide between No 10 and No 11 has been growing since the departure of special adviser Dominic Cummings – the ‘dark lord’ as he was called in Whitehall – who had tried to rein in the Treasury by establishing a joint economic unit over which he exercised control.
The fall of Mr Cummings in power battle with Carrie Johnson has seen the head of the unit Liam Booth Smith be replaced by Chancellor Rishi Sonak. It is now that the economic balance has reverted to No 11.
Largely due to his past connection with Mr Cummings and the tenuous ground that his No 10 unit technically was a No 10, Booth-Smith was charged of being the “chatty Pig”.
No 10’s suspicions about briefings by the Treasury have been sharpened by the fact that Mr Cummings – who has waged war on Mr Johnson’s Government from his exile – repeatedly singles out Mr Sunak for praise
This was strongly denied by Treasury, and the Chancellor vented his anger privately over Mr Booth-Smith’s allegations. Sources claim that Liam had been “completely stitched together.” It’s totally absurd.
Tensions simmer as the clock winds down to April and the imposition of the new 1.25 Percent health care and social service tax.
The PM’s lavish spending plans have made the Chancellor uncomfortable. Mr Sunak insists during heated negotiations that extra spending on health must come from an explicit tax and not extra borrowing.
According to a source, Raji believes that tax increases and lower living standards will be tolerated if the government is competent. However, he’s not sure that this is the case.
The PM’s lavish spending plans have made the Chancellor uncomfortable. Mr Sunak insists during heated negotiations that extra spending on health must come from an explicit tax and not extra borrowing.
When a leadership contest to succeed Mr Johnson does eventually come, Mr Sunak is likely to still be the favourite – with Foreign Secretary Liz Truss breathing down his neck. The Chancellor also knows that marginal seats can lead to a high cost of living, which could jeopardize his chances.
No 10’s suspicions about the Treasury have been sharpened by the fact that Mr Cummings – who has waged war on Mr Johnson’s Government from his exile – repeatedly singles out Mr Sunak for praise.
Allies of Mr Johnson have been concerned by claims that one of Mr Cummings’s closest colleagues, adviser Cleo Watson, is in line for a senior role at the Treasury – entrenching perceptions of it as a rival power base.
The elegant Ms Watson – dubbed ‘the gazelle’ to Mr Cummings’s ‘pit pony’ when they worked at No 10 – has spent the past year as chief of staff to Alok Sharma, president of the COP26 climate summit this year in Glasgow, and is due a move.
Ms Watson claimed that she was not aware of the plan and stated she would take a break before starting Whips!. Whips! is her erotic political thriller which she wrote about the scandalous events she had witnessed while in Westminster. Ms Watson is also being denied by Treasury.
According to Johnson, he privately admitted to needing to restart his No10 operation. He also reportedly called Lord Udny–Lister his former chief-of-staff to take over the position of Dan Rosenfeld.
But Lord Udny Lister, it is believed, told the PM his concern about the presence of rival factions at Downing Street. This included young aides to Carrie Johnson like Henry Newman.
Senior Government sources predicted that the new Downing Street Chief of Staff would be appointed in early 2012.
Complicating the picture further is the rumbling discontent of the MPs who won ‘Red Wall’ seats – constituencies mainly in the North that had been Labour strongholds – many of whom have better relations with the Treasury than Downing Street.
The government’s “levelling up” agenda between North and South means billions are directed to their constituents, which is a close contact with the Chancellor’s staff.
Amid all of this, the traditional rumours swirl about letters – or emails, as they tend to be now – of no confidence in the PM being sent to Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the backbench 1922 Committee.
Sources within the party are skeptical about Sir Graham’s alleged ‘dozen letters’, but this is still significantly less than the 54 required to start a contest.