Leading Brexiteer Steve Baker refuses job in Boris Johnson's government
2 min read
Leading Brexiteer has delivered a major snub to Boris Johnson by angrily turning down a job in his new-look government.
The arch-eurosceptic rejected the offer of a junior role in the Department for Exiting the European Union, the same role he resigned from a year ago in protest at Theresa May's Brexit deal.
Mr Baker is a leading figure in the European Research Group and was one of Mr Johnson's strongest supporters in the Tory leadership contest.
But he said he could not accept the "powerlessness" of a job in DexEU after the new Prime Minister handed responsibility for no-deal planning to the Cabinet Office.
The Wycombe MP emerged from Downing Street following lengthy talks with Mr Johnson in which he made clear his reasons for not accepting the job offer.
He later tweeted: "With regret, I have turned down a ministerial job. I cannot repeat my experience of powerlessness as a junior @DExEUgov minister with the work done in @cabinetofficeuk."
Mr Baker insisted he had "total confidence" in Mr Johnson's ability to take the UK out of the EU on 31 October, but added: "Disaster awaits otherwise."
His refusal to join the government was the first blow for the new Prime Minister as he set about rewarding more of his supporters with ministerial roles.
Conor Burns, a longstanding ally who was Mr Johnson's parliamentary bag-carrier when he was Foreign Secretary, becomes an international trade minister, while Kit Malthouse has been appointed Home Office minister.
Nigel Adams, another longstanding ally of the Prime Minister, has been made sports minister, while Theree Coffey - who also backed Mr Johnson's leadership bid - remains at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
Meanwhile, Health minister Stephen Hammond, an outspoken critic of a no-deal Brexit, was sacked as health minister.
In a parting shot at the Prime Minister, he tweeted: "I will support any Government efforts to secure a good deal with the EU, and I remain absolutely opposed to No Deal."
Mr Johnson is expected to continue making junior ministerial appointments over the coming days.
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