A key ally of Boris Johnson has refused to say who will take charge if Britain’s nuclear weapons if there is a strike while the Prime Minister is in intensive care.
Michael Gove said giving details of the process would help Britain’s enemies after he was quizzed about the grave possibility – however unlikely it might be.
It comes after Mr Johnson handed power temporarily to First Secretary of State Dominic Raab while he fights for life with Covid-19 in St Thomas’ Hospital.
Mr Raab will lead the government’s coronavirus response and chair today’s 9.15am meeting – but decisions will be taken “collectively” by Cabinet.
Cabinet Office minister Mr Gove was asked in two different interviews today who would lead the response to a nuclear attack.
He insisted there are “well developed protocols” which “have been tested robustly over time”, but told ITV’s Good Morning Britain: “I am refusing to answer the question.”
(Image: PA)
Mr Gove said it was right to ask the question but added: “When it comes to things like national security we don’t speculate about stuff like that.
“I know you will think ‘oh, this is just another politician who’s refusing to answer the question’.
“Well I am refusing to answer the question, because there are established protocols that cover national security questions.
“We don’t talk about them in a way which might give people who are our enemies any chance to circumvent them.”
(Image: 10 Downing Street/AFP via Getty)
More generally, the case does raise legitimate questions about Britain’s laws, which do not explicitly set out what happens if the Prime Minister is incapacitated.
Mr Gove said: “Dominic Raab is in charge – we don’t talk about national security matters.”
Mr Gove also refused to answer the same question on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.
Asked if the PM’s responsibilities for national security, including a nuclear attack, have passed to Dominic Raab, he said: “I simply can’t talk about national security matters.
“There are well developed protocols which are in place and have been tested robustly over time.”
One of a Prime Minster’s first tasks is to write “the letter of last resort” – four identical handwritten notes to the commanders of Britain’s nuclear-armed Vanguard submarines.
They outline the UK’s response to a nuclear attack.
However, further details of the UK’s response are less publicly-known than in the US, where the nuclear weapons codes are constantly carried in a specially-designed briefcase in close proximity to the President.
Asked if Mr Raab will be able to hire and fire ministers, Mr Gove said: “The Prime Minister always remains the Prime Minister.
“But I don’t think there’s any suggestion of anything other than a great team spirit in government as we all work together at this time – ministers and expert advisors and civil servants.”
Mr Gove insisted major decisions – including whether to ease or end the lockdown “will be taken collectively and they will be taken following appropriate advice”.
He added: “This disease can hit any of us and when it hits, it can hit very badly.”
Boris Johnson’s condition remained unchanged this morning at St Thomas’ Hospital.
(Image: PA)
He is thought to have have received a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) breathing aid.
But allies this morning said Boris Johnson is not yet on a full mechanical ventilator – which is the next step.
Mr Gove told LBC Radio: “He’s not on a ventilator no. The Prime Minister has received some oxygen support and he’s kept under, of course, close supervision.
“And of course by being in intensive care, if there’s further support he needs, then it’s there at hand.”
It’s understood one reason for moving him to intensive care was so he can be quickly put on a ventilator if needed.
It is now 11 days since the Prime Minister was diagnosed with Covid-19 and Mr Gove admitted his condition had “deteriorated” last night.
(Image: University College London (UCL)/)
Mr Johnson was taken to St Thomas’ Hospital on Sunday night. For hours No10 insisted it was only a precaution and for tests – but aides dropped the description of his symptoms as “mild”.
Mr Gove admitted he has had no direct contact with the PM in the last 48 hours.
He said: “I’ve been talking to members of the Prime Minister’s team but not to the Prime Minister himself.”
