New Health Secretary appointed after Sajid Javid resigns

Steve Barclay has been named as the new Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, after Sajid Javid resigned yesterday.

The former chief of staff at Number 10 serves as an MP of North East Cambridgeshire, and formerly held the position of Brexit Secretary.

Mr Barclay commented on Twitter that he is ‘delighted’ to be taking up the role in the Debarment for Health and Social Care. He said that he looks forward to working with NHS and social care staff to ‘beat the Covid backlogs, boost patient access and ensure health services deliver for everyone’.

Mr Javid said it was an ‘enormous privilege’ to serve in the role, but that he could no longer continue in good conscience.

In his resignation letter to the Prime Minister, he said: ‘Given the unprecedented scale of the challenges in health and social care, it has been my instinct to continue focusing on this important work. So it is with enormous regret that I must tell you that I can no longer, in good conscience, continue serving in this Government. I am instinctively a team player but the British people also rightly expect integrity from their Government.’

He also thanked his ministerial and departmental colleagues and highlighted his admiration for NHS and social care staff.

‘It was a privilege to have been asked to come back into Government to serve as Secretary of State for Health & Social Care at such a critical time for our country. I have given every ounce of energy to this task, and am incredibly proud of what we have achieved,’ he said.

‘The UK has led the world in learning to live with Covid. Thanks to the amazing rollout of our booster programme, investment in treatments, and innovations in the way we deliver healthcare, the British people have enjoyed months more freedom than other comparable countries. We have also made important strides in the recovery and reform of NHS and adult social care.’

This comes as Chancellor Rishi Sunak also handed in his resignation, with Nadhim Zahawi promoted to be the new Chancellor and Michelle Donelan taking Mr Zahawi’s former role as Education Secretary.

Photo by Adam Derewecki