This week the Prime Minister broke up with some of his Cabinet ministers and kindled new relationships with their replacements. Particularly heartbroken was ex-Chancellor Sajid Javid. We delve into the ramifications of this reshuffle for Brexit and civil society.

Enjoy,
Jacob

In Politics

Valentines Reshuffle

Sajid Javid resigns as Chancellor
New Northern Ireland Secretary
New Attorney General

On Thursday the Prime Minister held a reshuffle of the Cabinet. The dramatic moment was when the Chancellor Sajid Javid resigned in protest of the PM asking him to sack all his special advisors and replace them with ones from Number 10. Special advisors (SpAds) are chosen by the minister and responsible to their minister. This move by the PM is an attempt to gain greater control of the Treasury, and is the continuation of a pattern of centralising control of SpAds by Number 10. The new Chancellor, Rishi Sunak will have to put forward a budget to Parliament in less than a month. Key things to look out for in the budget are UK Shared Prosperity Fund news and spending on newly Conservative northern seats.

Meanwhile, important to Brexit is the removal of Julian Smith as the Northern Ireland Secretary. It was Smith who successfully negotiated the return of the executive in Stormont. According to journalists he was well respected and seen as competent by stakeholders, much more so than previous holders of the job. Smith has been replaced by Brandon Lewis.

As Stephen Bush points out in his daily newsletter Morning Call. The dangers of replacing Smith is it might sow distrust in Stormont towards the UK Government. This will also make the negotiations of what the Northern Ireland Protocol actually looks like more difficult. These talks run alongside talks on the future relationship. Lewis has a difficult job on his hands.

The Attorney General has also been replaced by Suella Braverman. This is an appointment that will concern legal news watchers. In January this year she wrote a blog for ConservativeHome where she attacked ‘unelected, unaccountable judges’ and the Human Rights Act. Putting Braverman in this job reflects the intentions behind page 48 of the Conservative manifesto in last year's election. Page 48 outlined the Conservatives desire to look at ‘the relationship between the Government, Parliament and the courts’ and ‘we will update the Human Rights Act and administrative law’ in relation to rights, and security. The page contained a wide range of potential changes to the constitution and judiciary.

It is clear that the Johnson administration does not appreciate being held to account by the judiciary, such as when the Supreme Court declared prorogation to be unlawful. This appointment moves towards the reshaping of the relationship between Government, the judiciary, and their approach to rights. Prospect podcast have a special episode on the judicial review and Human Rights Act here.

The Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (and is the department of civil society) has been replaced. Nicky Morgan has stepped down from her Government role, but obviously continues to hold her place in the Lords. Oliver Dowden has replaced her. At the time of writing there has been little movement of Ministers lower than Cabinet rank so Baroness Barran is still the Minister for Civil Society.

This reshuffle consolidates Johnson's control on his Government. A lot of moves were made to bring in loyalists, and to centralise power. Ministers who have been effective and loyal have been kept whereas those who have not been as loyal have been moved on, regardless of effectiveness.

In Policy

House of Lords European Union Committee

Northern Ireland Protocol is complex
Government yet to give details on it

This week the Lords EU select committee took evidence from expert on the revised Northern Ireland protocol. They heard from Sylvia de Mars, Colin Murray and David Henig. You can watch the evidence session in full here. John Campbell the BBC Northern Ireland economics and business editor has a useful thread outlining what happened in the session here.

The session heard how the protocol is going to be incredibly complex. Over 300 pieces of EU legislation to be implemented in NI and responsibility for implementing them, and the protocol, will rest with the UK Government. Henig raised the issue that the UK Government has yet to outline what it wants the protocol to look like. As with other Brexit issues, such as the UK Share Prosperity Fund, details on implementation is limited. This lack of detail is concerning for organisations on the ground. People need to be able to plan ahead for the changes that may come.

The Institute for Government has a useful explainer on the changes made on the protocol in the Withdrawal Agreement when Johnson became PM.

In Events

Norwich Brexit and Civil Society: Q&A Drop-in session

When: Thursday 5th March, 11:30 to 15:30
Where: OPEN Norwich

Brexit Civil Society Alliance is in Norwich in March.

We are hosting a lunch time information drop in session for organisations. It will cover topics such as Brexit - what next, the future of funding and the EU Settlement Scheme. Please share this with anyone you know in Norwich who may benefit from attending. There is a free lunch provided to attendees.

Thursday 6th March 2020
OPEN Norwich
11:30 to 15:30

Tickets here

Recommended Reading

The Times looks into the Environment Bill here
Charities are being forced to stop helping children apply to EUSS as Home Office funding is running out. The Independent. BCSA has written a joint letter with 30 organisations to the Home Secretary urging for action on this grant funding. Read that here
Adam Wagner, the Human Rights Barrister, sounds his alarm on the future of the European Convention on Human Rights here
Shaun Spiers of Green Alliance UK is on BBC Farming Today looking at George Eustice’s to-do list with the Environment Bill here
Prospect Podcast on judicial review and Human Rights Act here