THE knifing of former Chancellor Sajid Javid triggered open hostility last night as heavy fire rained down on PM Boris Johnson and Number 10.
The former Chancellor’s decision to quit prompted warning shots to current Cabinet ministers to watch their backs — and be aware of Downing Street guerrilla tactics.
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Furious colleagues vented their anger because Prime Minister Johnson had given Mr Javid public assurances that he would remain at the Treasury.
One furious ally said: “This is clearly about Number 10 having a bitch in the Cabinet in terms of the Treasury.”
Mr Javid had repeatedly battled with the PM’s top team, including Mr Johnson’s senior aide Dominic Cummings, over relaxing spending rules following December’s General Election success.
He dramatically walked away from his job on Thursday after being told he could hang on — but only if he sacked his five close advisers.
In the hours after his shock departure, Mr Javid, who was a Remainer during the Brexit battle, said any “self-respecting Minister” would, in the circumstances, reject the PM’s proposals and go.
He was replaced by Rishi Sunak, a Leaver like the PM, who is unlikely to oppose his boss’s plans to turn on the taps on spending.
But the fall-out and anger over the explosive reshuffle should make it clear to those now sitting at the top table that they could also face a possible power grab from Downing Street.
‘HE DREW A LINE’
A pal of Mr Javid’s said: “It’s really unpleasant.
“Every member of the Cabinet should know that if it’s been done to Sajid this time, it could be them next.
“We are all on the same side or we are not. It’s that simple.”
They added that Mr Javid could not accept Mr Johnson’s conditions because he knew that a host of others would be coming his way in the future.
A source said: “He knew there was something fundamentally wrong with his relationship with Number 10.
“If he had agreed to everything asked of him that wouldn’t have been the end of it. He drew a line in the sand.”
The PM had given Mr Javid his public backing for him to stay at Number 11 at the Confederation of British Industry conference during the election campaign.
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Mr Javid had previously been in charge of the Culture, Business and Communities departments.
But even Mr Johnson was sorry to see his ally going.
He did, after all, attend his lavish 50th birthday party just a day after the election victory.
Asked by one colleague why he had acted as he had, the PM replied: “I didn’t want to. I wanted him to stay.”
One ally said: “Sajid is really loyal to Boris, he really likes him.
“It wasn’t that long ago since Boris was invited to the party. It was all bonhomie then.
“Boris is the boss at the end of the day but none of this would happen without the current set up in Number 10.
‘TRUE BREXITEER AS CHANCELLOR’
“I’ve got to credit Dominic Cummings in a way. He is ruthless. He is a genius.
“He doesn’t want any dissent which is going to be a problem.
“But he’s not going to be right about everything. You do need people with different outlooks.”
There were also furious claims that briefings appearing in newspapers about the so-called Mansion Tax on expensive homes was a bid “to knife Sajid”.
The ally said: “That was all done to whip up Conservative MPs against Sajid.
“All that stuff . . . it was an attempt to do him in.”
Skirmishes between Number 10 and Number 11 have flared up over cutting taxes and pumping more money into public services.
Mr Javid wanted to achieve a balanced budget by 2023 — but this could now turn into a rolling target.
It could be put back to 2025 as funding is needed to help pay for projects along the so-called “Red Wall” — areas the Tories won from Labour in the election.
One Tory source said: “This is the first time since the referendum that there has been a true Brexiteer as Chancellor in the Treasury.
“The days of arch-Remainer Philip Hammond seem a long time ago now.
“All the top offices of state — PM, Chancellor, Home Secretary (Priti Patel) and Foreign Secretary (Dominic Raab) all backed Leave. The decks have now well and truly been cleared.”
Former banker Mr Javid was appointed as the first British-Asian Chancellor after Mr Johnson won the Tory leadership contest in July last year.
Tensions with Number 10 stem back to the Vote Leave campaign, run by Dominic Cummings. Despite backing Remain, Mr Javid was seen as being Eurosceptic.
It is understood he gave up a huge salary of around £3million to be an MP where he first earned £66,000 when he was elected in 2010.
The rift with No10 began to grow last August when Mr Cummings sacked Treasury adviser Sonia Khan without Mr Javid’s knowledge.
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There was also anger at Treasury briefings in recent weeks when Mr Javid declared his support for the HS2 rail project ahead of a meeting with Mr Johnson.
Meanwhile, a YouGov poll of more than 2,500 adults said Mr Javid was right to resign.
Some 49 per cent backed him over his decision to walk away when faced with the ultimatum.
Rishi: Don’t brand me babychino
RISHI Sunak will not be a “babychino” in his new top job, a Tory MP says.
The 39-year-old will not be “Chancellor In Name Only”.
He will refuse to be pushed around in Budget discussions with Number 10, it was claimed.
Tory MP Kevin Hollinrake dismissed claims he will be a “chino” — a term often used to describe predecessor Sajid Javid.
He said: “Rishi’s a superstar. This is a very good appointment as he’s nobody’s fool.
“He just gets it. Any subject thrown at him he can master.”
