Matt Hancock resignation: A dramatic exit, a less controversial arrival

One out and one in. The prime minister had backed Matt Hancock to hang on.

The now former health secretary had tried to cling on. But even on Friday senior Tories were directly warning both of them that his position was just not tenable.

Not because of his personal exploits with a taxpayer-supported colleague, but because he broke the rules that he helped to set.

One senior Tory told me it "beggared belief" that the man who had essentially banned casual relationships for a year was caught out having disobeyed the guidance himself, but still tried to maintain his position. Another insider said "everyone hates hypocrisy".

For every moment that he tried to stay both his and Boris Johnson's judgement remained in doubt.

Mr Hancock's record in charge at the Department of Health had also been under attack, with claims that Boris Johnson himself had said that he had been "hopeless" at the start of the pandemic. But the stresses and strains of managing the pandemic were not the catalyst for him to go.

Downing Street has tried to follow a dramatic exit with a less controversial arrival.

The new health secretary, Sajid Javid, has already done several of the most senior jobs in government.

He may have clashed with Boris Johnson's former adviser Dominic Cummings, but has years of experience in senior roles and was known to be keen to return in a frontbench role.

By bringing Mr Javid back Downing Street has also avoided a major shake-up of ministers.

Just as Mr Johnson wanted to avoid Mr Hancock having to leave at all, the prime minister was reluctant to recast his senior team.