Boris Johnson’s new policy unit head has said low taxes will be the key to Britain’s economic success – and that regaining backbench support for the Government’s policy agenda is crucial.
Andrew Griffith, the Tory MP for Arundel and South Downs, was appointed to head up Mr Johnson’s Number 10 policy team after the resignation of Munira Mirza last week.
Writing on the ConservativeHome website, Mr Griffith laid out his new approach to the role and drew inspiration from his 1980s childhood, during Margaret Thatcher’s premiership.
The former chief financial officer of Sky said he supported lowering taxes and fostering good relations with businesses.
“A competitively regulated, low tax and high skills economy trading globally has always been the right combination for economic success,” Mr Griffith wrote.
“I bring to the role my personal experience of growing up in the early 1980s, when an unconventional Conservative prime minister built an unusually broad coalition of support, secured successive large election majorities, confounded pessimists and radically improved the way that the world and its own citizens perceived Britain.
“From a comprehensive school in south-east London, I was the first in my family to go to university, where campaigning to keep the UK out of the Exchange Rate Mechanism turned me into a lifelong Conservative.”
Downing Street’s new ‘light touch’ approach
The MP also pledged a “light touch” stance from Downing Street towards “high-performing” government departments, an indication of a more hands-off style with Cabinet ministers.
Downing Street later would not be drawn on which departments would be earmarked for “deeper interventions”. It is thought one could include the Home Office, which is responsible for dealing with small boat crossings in the English Channel.
One Westminster source suggested that the op-ed showed Mr Griffith was “giddy eyed with ambition” and positioning himself for another promotion within Downing Street.
The piece also contained an olive branch to Tory MPs, many of whom have been critical of No 10 and its indifference to their views on policy matters.
Mr Griffith pledged to set up new backbench policy committees, coordinated with Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the 1922 Committee.
“Covid has suppressed proper policy discussion for too long – indeed, for the majority of the time that I and my 2019 colleagues have sat in Parliament,” he said.
He added that Mr Johnson’s sizable Commons majority was “a poor substitute for proper engagement” and called for backbenchers to submit their ideas via committees that shadow each government department.
But in what appeared to be a reference to leadership manoeuvres from some members of the Cabinet in recent weeks, Mr Griffith also suggested that the Government must pull together if it is to convince voters to support it again.
‘Time for we Conservatives to unite’
“The British people understand that results take time, particularly as we emerge from an unprecedented global pandemic,” he said.
“So long as they see that we are focusing on them and their needs rather than fighting amongst ourselves, I believe that they will continue to place their trust in us.
“As I start my role as policy director today, it is time for we Conservatives to unite, to support the Prime Minister and to get on with the job.”
Mr Griffith is a controversial choice for the job among Tory MPs, having only joined the parliamentary party in 2019.
He is a longtime ally of Mr Johnson, after letting his leadership campaign use his Westminster home as its office in 2019.
It is understood he has sounded out new staff to join the policy team in No 10. Ms Mirza’s departure coincided with the resignation of Elena Narozanski, Downing Street’s culture, sport and terrorism expert.
