2022.10.14 夸西-夸滕作为英国财政大臣的任期并不是最短的

shiyi18

夸西-夸滕作为英国财政大臣的任期并不是最短的
但也很接近
2022年10月14日，英国伦敦，财政大臣夸西-夸滕从唐宁街的一辆汽车上下来。REUTERS/Henry Nicholls
2022年10月14日



严格来说，财政大臣--英国的财政部长--并不负责自己的部门。财政部第一部长是由首相担任的正式头衔。财政大臣只是第二号人物。10月14日，9月6日才成为首相的Liz Truss解雇了Kwasi Kwarteng，使这种等级秩序变得非常明显。夸滕先生曾是特拉斯女士的亲密政治盟友，他在9月23日的小型预算案中为财政和政治动荡背了黑锅。他在这个可以追溯到中世纪的工作岗位上仅有39天的任期，并不是最短的。但也相差不远（见图）。



夸滕先生的财政大臣任期是现代社会中第二短的。只有1970年在任职第31天去世的伊恩-麦克劳德在唐宁街11号待的时间更短。夸滕先生的直接前任纳迪姆-扎哈维担任首相仅64天。事实证明，他的任期甚至不是一年中最短的。

直到三年前，大多数现代的校长都会在这个职位上待上几年。这个职位的稳定性--以及与首相的密切关系--是政府稳定的标志。戈登-布朗是现代任期最长的财政部长，在接替托尼-布莱尔担任首相之前，他在这个职位上工作了十年。乔治-奥斯本是大卫-卡梅伦的唯一一位财政大臣。1989年，撒切尔夫人的第二任总理奈杰尔-劳森辞职，这种破裂可能意味着政治灾难。

然而，最近，英国保守党内的动荡意味着更快速的更替。夸滕先生的继任者杰里米-亨特是三年多来的第六位财政大臣。2019年7月，当鲍里斯-约翰逊(Boris Johnson)取代特雷莎-梅(Theresa May)成为首相时，菲利普-哈蒙德(Philip Hammond)让位于萨吉德-贾维德(Sajid Javid)。贾维德先生在不到七个月的时间里与约翰逊先生闹翻了。Rishi Sunak今年辞职，迫使约翰逊先生下台。在保守党选择新领导人时，扎哈维先生为其保驾护航。而现在，特拉斯女士的灾难性开局让她的盟友失去了工作。这可能会让她失去自己的工作。


Kwasi Kwarteng’s tenure as Britain’s chancellor wasn’t the shortest
But it is close
Chancellor of the Exchequer Kwasi Kwarteng exits a car on Downing Street in London, Britain, October 14, 2022. REUTERS/Henry Nicholls
Oct 14th 2022

Save

Share

Give
Strictly speaking, the chancellor of the exchequer—Britain’s finance minister—is not in charge of his own department. The First Lord of the Treasury is the formal title held by the prime minister. The chancellor is merely number two. That pecking order was made all too plain on October 14th, when Liz Truss, who became prime minister only on September 6th, sacked Kwasi Kwarteng. Mr Kwarteng, formerly Ms Truss’s close political ally, is carrying the can for the financial and political turmoil unleashed by his mini-budget on September 23rd. His tenure of just 39 days in a job that dates back to the Middle Ages is not the shortest. But it’s not far off (see chart).


Mr Kwarteng’s chancellorship is the second shortest of modern times. Only Iain Macleod, who died on his 31st day in office, in 1970, spent less time in 11 Downing Street. Mr Kwarteng’s immediate predecessor, Nadim Zahawi, was chancellor for just 64 days. His tenure, it turns out, was not even the shortest of the year.

Until three years ago, most modern chancellors could expect to spend several years in the job. Stability in that office—and a close relationship with the prime minister—was a mark of steadiness in government. Gordon Brown, the longest-serving modern chancellor, spent ten years in the job before succeeding Tony Blair as prime minister. George Osborne was David Cameron’s only chancellor. A rupture, as when Nigel Lawson, Margaret Thatcher’s second chancellor, resigned in 1989, could spell political catastrophe.

Lately, however, the turmoil in Britain’s Conservative Party has meant a more rapid turnover. Mr Kwarteng’s successor, Jeremy Hunt, is the sixth chancellor in just over three years. Philip Hammond gave way to Sajid Javid when Boris Johnson replaced Theresa May as prime minister in July 2019. Mr Javid fell out with Mr Johnson after less than seven months. Rishi Sunak quit this year to force Mr Johnson from office. Mr Zahawi kept the seat warm while the Tories chose a new leader. And now Ms Truss’s catastrophic start has cost her ally his job. It may yet cost her hers.