Badenoch’s Tory Reshuffle – Guido Fawkes

Demotions:

• Alan Mak: Formerly DSIT. Says he was offered another job but declined…
• Dominic Johnson: Formerly chairman – becomes Senior Treasurer. UPDATE: Johnson is actually Honorary Senior Treasurer. The initial Tory release was not in accordance with the current facts…
• Ed Argar: Formerly Health.
• Gareth Bacon: Formerly Transport – stays as Shadow Minister for London and gets Shadow Minister of State for Housing and Planning.

LOTO personnel changes:

• Henry Newman replaces Lee Rowley as Kemi Badenoch’s Chief of Staff. Newman will now run LOTO…
• Lee Rowley is leaving LOTO to private sector.
• Francis Maude in as ad-hoc advisor to LOTO.

CCHQ is saying tonight this is not the end to a shake-up across the Tory political operation. As Guido was first to reveal earlier this month, the appointments follow Lord Mark McInnes coming in as CEO of the Conservative Party. You’re either in front of Guido, or you are behind…

Insiders view the reshuffle as light-touch – most moves were predicted and trailed. The lack of promotions for the 2024 intake and standout Commons performers like Katie Lam and Nick Timothy has been noted widely by MPs and commentators alike. Key leadership candidate Rob Jenrick remains in the same post, there is no change of Shadow Chancellor, and multiple figures who were widely touted as certain exits from the Shadow Cabinet also remain in place…

As for the LOTO team, a shakeup was desperately needed. For what it’s worth, Maude is seen as a key Gove ally, and the appointment of his former SpAd Henry Newman relieves Lee Rowley of the high stakes post of Chief of Staff. Allies say these are important shifts in the leader’s office and will bring in experience, particularly in policy, which might quicken in pace under the new team…

As of tonight the Conservatives remain roughly a net of ten points behind Reform in most polls. The Tories have much bigger problems than who’s in the top team…