London: Britain's new prime minister Boris Johnson named Sajid Javid as his finance minister on Wednesday, in a promotion for the former interior minister. Johnson also revealed the name of Indian-origin Priti Patel to take up the interior ministers' position, marking a political comeback for the former international development minister who was sacked during the Theresa May government.
Earlier in the day, Philip Hammond quit as Chancellor following the announcement that Boris Johnson is set to become the next prime minister.
Hammond, who has been in Number 11 for three years, has been a vocal critic of a no-deal Brexit – something the Tory leadership frontrunner has vowed to do if he cannot secure changes to the Withdrawal Agreement.
The former British finance minister Hammond had said on Sunday that he would resign if Johnson became prime minister because he felt unable to support a leader happy to take the country out of the European Union without a deal.
Hammond's decision underlined the strength of feeling in parliament against a no-deal Brexit, which some lawmakers and many businesses say would be catastrophic for the economy.
A loyal Conservative who has served in a number of ministerial roles, Hammond is an unlikely rebel. He said his fears over a no-deal forced him to vote against the government for the first time in his 22-year political career last week.
"I am sure I am not going to be sacked because I am going to resign before we get to that point," Hammond told the BBC's Andrew Marr Show, adding he would resign to May before she tendered her own resignation to the Queen on Wednesday.
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