Brexit ‘hardman’ Steve Baker turned down job in Boris Johnson’s Cabinet because he doesn’t want to return to government

• Mr Baker resigned as a junior Brexit minister under Theresa May
• He said he did not want to ‘repeat my experience of powerlessness’ in office
• The Brexiteer was deputy chairman of the anti-EU European Research Group
• He said he has ‘total confidence’ in Mr Johnson’s promise to leave the EU 

Brexiteer Steve Baker has turned down a job in Boris Johnson’s government

Brexiteer Steve Baker turned down a job in Boris Johnson’s government, it emerged yesterday.

Friends had said the self-described ‘hardman’ of Brexit had been ‘nailed on’ for a Cabinet post.

But it emerged that Mr Baker, who once said he would bulldoze Parliament, had decided not to return to Government.

He had resigned as a junior Brexit minister under Theresa May and said he did not want to ‘repeat my experience of powerlessness’ in office. 

He was a deputy chairman of the anti-EU European Research Group.

He said he had ‘total confidence’ in Mr Johnson’s promise to leave the EU on October 31 but warned ‘disaster awaits otherwise’. 

Mr Johnson yesterday appointed his junior ministers, using the reshuffle at Minister of State level to promote allies and clear out opponents of his Brexit stance.

Nigel Adams returned to Government after resigning over Mrs May’s Brexit tactics. 

He has been a loyal supporter of Mr Johnson and was rewarded with a role at the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.

Lucy Frazer has been moved from Solicitor General back to the Ministry of Justice.

Kit Malthouse, who was Mr Johnson’s deputy mayor for policing at London’s City Hall, has become a Home Office minister.

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