SBC News Voice of the Sports Betting Industry
As New UK Prime Minister Theresa May officially announced her first cabinet, UK news sources and political commentators have been surprised at the PM’s top four picks.
Labelling May’s senior appointments as the ‘Gang of Four’, the PM would announce Philip Hammond as Chancellor of the Exchequer, supported by Boris Johnson as Foreign Secretary with Amber Rudd securing Home Secretary. David Davis completes May’s quartet being appointed to the special position of ‘Brexit’ Secretary.
Quick to open its market, William Hill has made Boris Johnson a 6/4 market favourite to be the ‘first minister to quit Theresa’s Gang of Four’.
The choice of Johnson as Foreign Secretary has raised eyebrows both at home and abroad. As leader of Brexit, Johnson has a sour relationship with EU officials and lawmakers as EC President Jean-Claude Juncker stated that Johnson “should not be trusted”.
Furthermore, the former London Mayor has strained the UK’s relationship with the USA by mocking President Barrack Obama, calling him ‘part-Kenyan’ and ‘hypocritical and inconsistent’.
‘Very little in Boris’s political life seems to go as expected, so he is the obvious favourite to be the first of the four to move on elsewhere’ said Hill’s spokesman Graham Sharpe.
Conservative Party Protégé Amber Rudd is the markets second favourite at 5/2. Rudd a staunch lead ‘Remain’ campaigner, had stated during the EU Referendum debate that she would not let “Boris Johnson to drive her home at the end of a night out”. The UK media has speculated whether ‘Bremainer’ Rudd can survive in a Brexit focused conservative party?
As the Tories prepares to trigger Article 50, political commentators expect much coverage to be placed on the actions of Brexit secretary David Davis (third favourite at 3/1). A veteran Eurosceptic, Davis’ position along with Johnson will be the most scrutinised by the British public potentially making him an easy target.
As new chancellor and PM May’s right-hand man Philip Hammond has been placed by William Hill as 5/1 market outsider. Known as a ‘safe pair of hands’ Hammond will lead the British economy through the these Brexit times, however with tough policy decisions to be made Hammond’s aptitude will be likely tested.
