Boris Johnson’s positive test for coronavirus has shaken the foundations of the government with all eyes now on who would take over from the Prime Minister if he becomes incapacitated.
Downing Street has said Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab would take over the PM’s duties due to his status as First Secretary of State.
The UK does not have a deputy prime minister but first secretary has been used by a number of governments to show who is second in command.
However, it is not immediately clear what would happen if Mr Raab also became incapacitated, with the UK not having a formal system of succession like other countries, for example the US.
Downing Street is said to have drawn up plans to ensure the continuation of government in all circumstances but details have not been divulged publicly.
Mr Raab’s status as the person waiting in the wings is believed to have sparked furious rows within the government with other ministers adamant Michael Gove, the Minister for the Cabinet Office, should be the one to take over.
Mr Johnson today insisted he only has mild coronavirus symptoms and that he will continue to lead the nation’s fight against the disease.
But Number 10 is likely to face intense pressure in the coming days to set out exactly what would happen if Mr Johnson and other senior ministers can no longer work.
Boris Johnson’s positive test for coronavirus has sparked scrutiny of the government’s line of succession plans. Downing Street said Dominic Raab (pictured right) will take over if the PM is incapacitated but some ministers have pushed for Michael Gove to be given the job
Mr Johnson and Health Secretary Matt Hancock both today revealed they have tested positive for coronavirus
The UK has four great offices of state: Prime Minister, Chancellor of the Exchequer, Foreign Secretary and Home Secretary.
But beyond that there is no public plan on the line of succession should the PM be struck down.
The US is one of a number of countries which has such a plan: If the President cannot work, the Vice President takes over and so on down a long list of government figures.
The US also has a ‘designated survivor’ – someone in the line of succession who is told to stay away from major events like inaugurations and State of the Union Addresses in case something bad happens and they can then step in as commander in chief.
The UK does not have a known ‘designated survivor’ strategy but Downing Street said on Monday that it would be Mr Raab who would take over from Mr Johnson should circumstances demand it.
The PM’s official spokesman said at the time: ‘The Prime Minister is well. In relation to your question the Foreign Secretary is the First Secretary of State.’
Number 10 also said the PM ‘has the power to delegate responsibility to any of his ministers but, for now, it’s the Prime Minister and then the Foreign Secretary’.
Reports at the weekend suggested there was considerable disquiet in the government about Mr Raab being designated as Mr Johnson’s stand in.
One minister told the Sunday Times: ‘If Boris can’t do his job because he is incapacitated, a lot of people think that Michael should be running the show, not Raab. One of these people is Michael, of course.’
Mr Raab, Mr Gove, Chancellor Rishi Sunak and Health Secretary Matt Hancock are widely seen as the most important ministers in the government at the moment in terms of combating coronavirus.
Each chairs a committee coordinating different parts of the government’s response to the crisis.
Mr Gove’s is focused on public sector preparedness, Mr Hancock’s is focused on NHS capacity, Mr Raab’s deals with the overseas response and Mr Sunak’s looks at the economy.
But with Mr Hancock also having tested positive for coronavirus and the fact Mr Sunak was only just elevated to his role, Mr Raab and Mr Gove appear to be the two most important people in the government underneath Mr Johnson.
Successive prime ministers have resisted calls to formally set out succession plans because of the message they fear it would convey to the public and because of the damage it could do to their political standing.
But there have been repeated attempts by backbench MPs to pass a law formalising the succession issue.
Boris Johnson started to feel unwell yesterday afternoon and was then tested. He took part in a clap for the NHS event last night before being told at midnight he had tested positive
Mr Johnson and Mr Hancock testing positive for the disease means Chancellor Rishi Sunak will likely be doing even more of the heavy lifting for the government in terms of daily press conference appearances in the days ahead
Peter Bone, a Tory MP who has led those efforts in the past, said last week: ‘Nobody seems to be able to tell me what happens if the prime minister is incapacitated.
‘In a national emergency, you don’t want to be scrabbling around worrying about who’s in charge.
‘And you don’t want the foreign secretary and the cabinet office minister arguing about who’s in charge.’
With Mr Raab ready to step in for Mr Johnson, other secretary of states are thought to have identified ministerial backups should they fall ill.
Each department’s minister of state would likely be expected to step in should their boss be incapacitated.
Mr Raab’s status as PM-in-waiting caps off a meteoric rise for the arch Brexiteer.
He only joined the Cabinet for the first time in July 2018 when he was made Brexit Secretary by Theresa May.
He subsequently quit of Mrs May’s Brexit policy before taking part in the early stages of the Tory leadership contest in June last year.
After he was ousted he swiftly backed Mr Johnson’s candidacy and became a vocal supporter for the former Mayor of London.
That made his return to the Cabinet when Mr Johnson won power in July last year unsurprising but many in Westminster were shocked at just how high the office was with which he was rewarded.
Mr Johnson said in a video message announcing his positive test for coronavirus that he will continue to perform his PM duties as normal but everything will have to be done via video conferencing while he self-isolates for seven days.
He said: ‘Hi folks I want to bring you up to speed on something that is happening today which is that I have developed mild symptoms of coronavirus, that is to say a temperature and a persistent cough, and on the advice of the Chief Medical Officer I have taken a test.
‘That has come out positive so I am working from home, I am self isolating. That is entirely the right thing to do but be in no doubt that I can continue thanks to the wizardry of modern technology to communicate with all my top team to lead the national fight back against coronavirus.
A Downing Street spokesperson said: ‘After experiencing mild symptoms yesterday, the Prime Minister was tested for coronavirus on the personal advice of England’s Chief Medical Officer, Professor Chris Whitty.
‘The test was carried out in No 10 by NHS staff and the result of the test was positive.
‘In keeping with the guidance, the Prime Minister is self-isolating in Downing Street.
‘He is continuing to lead the government’s response to coronavirus.’