BORIS JOHNSON reportedly sacked Northern Ireland Secretary Julian Smith because he agreed to sanction an investigation into alleged crimes by British soldiers during the Troubles in order to restore power sharing in Stormont after a three year suspension.
The Prime Minister is said to have been kept in the dark about the decision, and was furious that veterans could now face further prosecutions. One Tory MP told the Daily Telegraph that Number 10 fell out with Mr Smith after they felt he had gone “behind their backs” over victims’ compensations. The source said: “They never forgave him.”
However, allies of the former Northern Ireland Secretary rubbished such allegations.
They insisted that Mr Smith had ensured that the Prime Minister was kept fully informed over details of the Stormont arrangement.
A colleague of Mr Smith pointed out that the MP for Skipton and Ripon had travelled back from Belfast on January 6 to personally brief the Prime Minister.
The source also claimed that memos had been sent back and forth between the Northern Ireland Secretary’s team and Number 10, so it was “absolute c**p” to suggest Mr Johnson had been blindsided.
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