Boris Johnson appoints brother as minister

July 26, 2019 8:09 pm

Boris Johnson, British prime minister, has appointed Jo Johnson, his brother, into his cabinet.

In a tweet on Wednesday, the office of the prime minister announced Jo as the minister of state at the department for business, energy and industrial strategy.

Jo Johnson @JoJohnsonUK has been appointed Minister of State at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy @beisgovuk, and the Department for Education @educationgovuk. He will also attend Cabinet. pic.twitter.com/k3FOSt3MWm

— UK Prime Minister (@10DowningStreet) July 24, 2019

Advertisement

Jo, who had served as minister in different capacities since 2014, had resigned in 2018 following Brexit plan of Theresa May, former prime minister.

Jo, before now has been opposed to Brexit, a position against that of his brother.

Upon resigning in 2018, he had said Brexit divided the country and political parties.

“And it has divided families too. Although I voted Remain, I have desperately wanted the government, in which I have been proud to serve, to make a success of Brexit: to reunite our country, our party and, yes, my family too,” he had said.

Reactions have followed his appointment, with some describing Jo as a sell-out.

“There was a moment in time when you actually said what you thought and suddenly became a leading light of reason for this country,” Mike Galsworthy, a Twitter user wrote.

Oh dear Lord, what happened to you, Jo Johnson?
Advertisement

There was a moment in time when you actually said what you thought and suddenly became a leading light of reason for this country.

Now you are become tired nepotism and sell-out in one fell swoop. https://t.co/D4GoVzJ4wZ

— Mike Galsworthy (@mikegalsworthy) July 25, 2019

“Now you are become tired nepotism and sell-out in one fell swoop,” he added.

Another user, Slough For Europe said Jo “made a powerful speech supporting a People’s Vote on Brexit only a few months ago.Now he’s back in a government where we are told all ministers had to first sign up to supporting a potential no-deal Brexit at the end of October.”

Jo Johnson made a powerful speech supporting a People’s Vote on Brexit only a few months ago.
Now he’s back in a government where we are told all ministers had to first sign up to supporting a potential no-deal Brexit at the end of October.
☹️???#jojohnson #PeoplesVote https://t.co/IhmVgfqVp4

— Slough for Europe (@SloughForEU) July 25, 2019
Advertisement