No 10 set for more changes as PM seeks to calm MPson February 7, 2022 at 7:59 am

Boris Johnson is set to make further changes to his Downing Street team this week as he seeks to ease concerns of MPs who are wavering about his future.

The shake-up comes amid the fallout from the initial findings of the Sue Gray report into events at No 10 while Covid restrictions were in place.

Several Tory backbenchers have called for Mr Johnson to resign and have submitted letters of no confidence.

The PM has promised his MPs there would be a change in how No 10 operates.

Asked if he had confidence in the prime minister, Health Secretary Sajid Javid said “absolutely, 100%” adding that “despite the challenges, and of course there are many, this prime minister is delivering”.

On Saturday Mr Johnson announced two senior appointments to his backroom staff following a string of resignations last week.

Cabinet Office minister Stephen Barclay is taking over as his chief of staff, while former BBC correspondent Guto Harri has started as director of communications.

There are expected to be new staff appointments, and some ministers will share some of the existing responsibilities of Mr Barclay, who retains his ministerial position.

At least one current adviser – Henry Newman – will be moved out of No 10 and into a new role in government.

The prime minister is also thought to be looking to appoint a new chief whip – the person in charge of party discipline – and he is understood to have held discussions with senior figures to try to persuade them to take up the post.

Mr Johnson, who spent the weekend at his country retreat, Chequers, called some of his colleagues over the weekend to try to persuade them of the significance of his changes.

He has faced a turbulent few weeks amid allegations of parties at Downing Street, the Metropolitan Police announcing an investigation into 12 of those and criticism after making a false claim that Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer failed to prosecute Jimmy Savile.

The latter led No 10 policy chief Munira Mirza to resign, while four other aides – including his chief of staff and private secretary – also resigned last week.

On Sunday, Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng appealed for his party to give the prime minister the “time and space to deliver” on the government’s promises, while former Tory leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith also said that he should stay in his role.

Several Conservative MPs have handed in letters of no confidence in the PM, including former minister Nick Gibb, with 54 needed to trigger a vote on his leadership.

It comes as Mr Johnson’s wife, Carrie, has said she is the target of a “brutal briefing campaign” by his enemies, after a book alleged she influences the prime minister’s decision-making.