Former chancellor Sajid Javid described backing Liz Truss in the Conservative leadership contest as his “biggest mistake in politics” during an appearance at the Hay festival in Wales to promote his memoir.
Speaking publicly for the first time since standing down as an MP in 2024, Javid revealed that while he maintains some connections within the Conservative party, he confirmed he has ceased contact with Truss following her brief and controversial premiership.
“No, I said ‘friends’,” Javid replied when asked if he still speaks to Truss, adding that his support for her leadership campaign represented a significant misjudgment.
Javid launched his own bid for Conservative leader after Boris Johnson’s resignation in 2022 before withdrawing and endorsing Truss. Her 49-day tenure as prime minister ended amid the fallout from a controversial mini-budget that triggered market turmoil and political upheaval.
On the broader political landscape, Javid expressed approval for the departure of Tory MPs who defected to Reform UK, calling it “good riddance” while warning that the quality of Britain’s political class has “dramatically” declined.
“Politicians reflect what you vote for,” he observed. “If you want different politicians, you’ve got to vote differently – not just based on party labels, but on who they are and what motivates them.”
Now a partner at investment firm Centricus, Javid advocated for reducing the number of MPs while doubling their salaries, arguing that current compensation fails to attract top-tier talent from fields like education, accounting, and medicine.
“We don’t pay politicians enough to attract people from the top of their game,” he said. “To some extent, you get what you pay for.”
Javid’s ministerial career spanned multiple cabinets under David Cameron, Theresa May, and Boris Johnson, including roles as home secretary and chancellor. He returned to government as health secretary under Johnson before resigning in July 2022 amid the prime minister’s final months in office.
Since leaving Parliament, Javid has assumed leadership positions including chairmanship of the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust and partnership at Centricus, founded by his former Deutsche Bank colleagues.
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