Prime Minister’s Chief of Staff Appointment

Jonathan Edwards Excerpts

Monday 7th February 2022 Commons Chamber

[Michael Ellis]

I would like to know what part I could play in such a role. We do have, and we will have, in our chief of staff—[Interruption.] I did not hear that, Madam Deputy Speaker. What I will say is that we will have, in the chief of staff who has just been appointed, someone who will be accountable and responsible to the British people.

[Jonathan Edwards (Carmarthen East and Dinefwr) (Ind)]

It seems the Welsh Government were not forewarned of the Chancellor’s intention to introduce a council tax rebate during his statement last Thursday on energy prices, despite that being a clearly devolved policy area. That means no policy has been announced in Wales, leaving many of my constituents, who are already concerned, in a state of confusion. Will the new Office of the Prime Minister prioritise better intergovernmental relations, so that Wales and Scotland are not blindsided by the British Government’s policy announcements?

[Michael Ellis]

Every Department of Government, without exception, does everything it can do to support the Union of this country.