{"id":120333,"date":"2023-10-23T17:59:33","date_gmt":"2023-10-23T17:59:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/leviolonrouge.com\/?p=120333"},"modified":"2023-10-23T17:59:33","modified_gmt":"2023-10-23T17:59:33","slug":"no-10-fails-to-downplay-jeremy-hunt-resignation-rumours-ahead-of-election","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/leviolonrouge.com\/politics\/no-10-fails-to-downplay-jeremy-hunt-resignation-rumours-ahead-of-election\/","title":{"rendered":"No. 10 fails to downplay Jeremy Hunt resignation rumours ahead of election"},"content":{"rendered":"

BBC Breakfast: Jeremy Hunt challenged over tax bill concerns<\/h3>\n

Downing Street has failed to pour cold water on rumours Jeremy Hunt is planning on quitting ahead of the General Election to avoid a humiliating election night defeat.<\/p>\n

The Chancellor, whose Surrey constituency is under threat from the Liberal Democrats, is reportedly fearful he may experience a \u2018Michael Portillo\u2019 moment on election night, in scenes reminiscent of the 1997 toppling of the then-Defence Secretary.<\/p>\n

Today Mr Hunt attempted to shut the rumours down, which were published on Sunday, with a spokesman saying: \u201cHe\u2019s not resigning as Chancellor, and he\u2019s standing in the next election\u201d.<\/p>\n

However Downing Street later fanned the flames of speculation, with a noncommittal statement to journalists that \u201cthe Prime Minister and Chancellor are working extremely closely together on the autumn statement\u201d.<\/p>\n

The PM\u2019s spokesman added: \u201cObviously we wouldn\u2019t speculate on constant reshuffle speculation.\u201d<\/p>\n

READ MORE: <\/strong> Jeremy Hunt has tax cut ‘wiggle room’ as borrowing lower than expected<\/strong><\/p>\n

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The statement notably failed to back the Chancellor\u2019s position for the long-term.<\/p>\n

On Sunday, the Observer said \u201cseveral senior sources nationally and locally\u201d told the paper they expect Mr Hunt to announce he is stepping down nearer to the election.<\/p>\n

The speculation also raised questions about whether Rishi Sunak could afford to have Mr Hunt stay on as Chancellor until the election.<\/p>\n

The Prime Minister is expected to conduct a wide-ranging Cabinet Reshuffle at some point in the next few weeks, despite only recently shaking up his top ministers.<\/p>\n

The reshuffle to appoint Grant Shapps to replace Ben Wallace as Defence Secretary – and Claire Coutinho as Net Zero Secretary – was much less far-reaching than Mr Sunak is believed to have wanted.<\/p>\n

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