George Osborne ‘prepared to walk’ if Theresa May fails to give him decent post in reshuffle
Mr Osborne's future could be the first challenge for the new Prime Minister
GEORGE Osborne is holding out for one of two key Cabinet jobs from Theresa May – or will walk away from government today, friends claimed.
Resolving Mr Osborne’s future emerged last night as Mrs May’s first major headache when she takes over as PM this afternoon.
After six years by David Cameron’s side in No11, Mr Osborne accepts he can no longer stay on at the Treasury.
His ‘Project Fear’ assault to scare Brits into staying in the EU with a doomsday Emergency Budget threat infuriated too many pro-Leave Tory MPs.
Mrs May also delivered her own withering verdict on his tenure as Chancellor on Monday, saying in a speech there had not been enough “deep economic reform”.
Instead, Mr Osborne has let it be known he will accept a dumbed down Foreign Secretary’s role.
The other job the 45-year-old Tory boss wants is the beefed up post of Trade Secretary, to pull off a raft of new deals with the world after Britain leaves the EU.
But if Mrs May offers him neither when she begins her first Cabinet reshuffle tonight, Mr Osborne has let friends know he would rather take time out on the backbenches.
A friend of the Chancellor told the Sun last night: “George does want to stay and do his best.
“But the job has to be the right one. Realistically, for him that means the Foreign Office or a big trade job.
“Otherwise, he’s ready to walk away.”
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Mr Osborne’s role will prove central to much of how Mrs May’s first front bench will look.
Another senior Tory added: “The reshuffle hangs to a huge degree on what happens to George.
“If he gets to be a souped-up Business Secretary then something has to happen to Sajid, of it’s Foreign Secretary, then other decisions flow from that. It all hangs on George.”
If he does take on the Foreign Office, Mr Osborne will have to accept significantly dumbed-down responsibilities.
Most EU dealings will be stripped out of the portfolio to go instead to the new post of Brexit Secretary, which Mrs May has promised to create.
As a Remain campaigner, the incoming Premier also faces a high wire balancing act of promoting enough Brexit backers.