10 Downing Street has announced Christian MP John Glen has been appointed to Chief Secretary to the Treasury.
Glen was at the cabinet meeting on Wednesday morning, ahead of a Commons showdown, it was Rishi Sunak's first as Tory leader.
In an earlier interview with Premier ahead of Rishi Sunak wining the Tory leadership contest, he admitted that the Conservative Party was struggling.
“I think we've done a lot of damage to our reputation, globally. And it's very important that we do bring stability as soon as possible,” he said.
“Obviously, any government that's been in power for twelve years, is always going to struggle with people wanting a change and people feeling uncomfortable. But what's happened obviously has meant that our reputation is in under significant scrutiny right now, if I'm being extremely charitable.”
The Conservative MP for Salisbury, was formerly the economic secretary to the treasury. He now replaces Edward Argar.
The role is one of the most senior ministerial positions within the finance ministry and carries responsibility for organising government departmental spending. Glen has also previously served as City Minister in the Treasury.
In an interview with Premier’s podcast A Mucky Business with Tim Farron in July, Glen said he grew up going to church occasionally and starting having a “living faith” when he went to university.
Speaking about the rise in his political career, he said: “I think to get to the very top and politics, which I’m not, you've got to be very thick skinned. I've learned to develop some of that. But… it can be very unpleasant, I think you've got to then rely on your faith, your family, and those who know you well to sustain through those difficult times and difficult times, will ebb and flow over a career”.
Meanwhile, Mr Sunak on Wednesday delayed the announcement of a keenly awaited plan for repairing the country's public finances until 17th November, two-and-a-half weeks later than originally planned.
The postponement, Sunak's first policy decision since taking over from Liz Truss on Tuesday, pushed up British borrowing costs in financial markets but by far less than seen in the panic bond selling caused by Truss's September tax-cutting plan.
