Dominic Cummings, former adviser to Prime Minister Boris Johnson, has claimed to have met Chancellor Rishi Sunak twice within the last year to discuss political strategy and how to defeat the Labour party. Cummings revealed the meetings in a post on his blog, stating Johnson had arranged for him to work on strategy in secret but had not met his conditions for doing so.
According to a Sunday Times report, Cummings met Johnson last December and again in July at Sunak’s request. Sunak reportedly wanted Cummings to work on politics and communication behind the scenes before the general election, with the promise of returning to Downing Street if the Conservative party won. However, Cummings asserts that he wanted more urgent action on critical issues such as defence procurement and pandemic protection.
Cummings argues that his conditions were not met by Johnson, writing on his blog that “the PM decided against the deal I proposed. He wanted instead that I work secretly on politics and communication in return for a promise that I could come to No 10 and sort out my priorities after the election.” Cummings claims to have had a conversation with Johnson in July, but their views remained irreconcilable.
Shadow paymaster general Jonathan Ashworth accused Sunak of asking the wrong question by consulting Cummings in the first place and criticised Johnson’s lack of leadership, saying: “From Cameron to Cummings, the prime minister is admitting he’s out of ideas and too weak to come up with his own.” Liberal Democrat Chief Whip Wendy Chamberlain has also highlighted that Sunak’s failure to declare these meetings is potentially a breach of the Ministerial Code.
These revelations come as Johnson’s former aide is due to appear before MPs for questioning over his role in the UK’s handling of the Covid pandemic. Cummings is expected to face questions on his suggestions for herd immunity as well as his infamous trip to Barnard Castle during the height of the pandemic
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