Dominic Cummings - a new kind of (anti-)hero..

[french frank]

Another question worth asking is, what led Johnson to take Cummings on in the first place?

Another 'exactly'. He knew what Cummings was. They were a group of Brexit fraudsters in it together and Cummings was employed for his success, in winning no matter how dishonest the means. As such, his hiring was a perfect reflection of Johnson's criteria - win by fair means or foul. Just win. But whoever thought Johnson's judgement was to be trusted?

As ever, his tactic is to bluster when challenged: what "people want" is for the government to get the country going again (so stop asking your irrelevant questions).

[Serial_Apologist]

Another 'exactly'. He knew what Cummings was. They were a group of Brexit fraudsters in it together and Cummings was employed for his success, in winning no matter how dishonest the means. As such, his hiring was a perfect reflection of Johnson's criteria - win by fair means or foul. Just win. But whoever thought Johnson's judgement was to be trusted?

As ever, his tactic is to bluster when challenged: what "people want" is for the government to get the country going again (so stop asking your irrelevant questions).

But "trust of" and "support for" go together, like horse and carriage - because, as Old Blue Eyes told us, you can't have one without the other.

[Barbirollians]

Another 'exactly'. He knew what Cummings was. They were a group of Brexit fraudsters in it together and Cummings was employed for his success, in winning no matter how dishonest the means. As such, his hiring was a perfect reflection of Johnson's criteria - win by fair means or foul. Just win. But whoever thought Johnson's judgement was to be trusted?

As ever, his tactic is to bluster when challenged: what "people want" is for the government to get the country going again (so stop asking your irrelevant questions).

Exactly

[oddoneout]

Another question worth asking is, what led Johnson to take Cummings on in the first place? Hardly a positive reflection on the PM's judgement, all you people out there who fawn over his "charisma", even excluding every other judgement of his we are well aware of.

I assume that Cummings made an effective sales pitch - told Johnson what he wanted to hear.

[gradus]

I would be surprised if Mr Cummings has no more shots in his locker. As to truth-telling I think the closest we'll come is at the promised Inquiry.

[Petrushka]

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/may/27/matt-hancock-not-all-patients-sent-care-homes-tested-covid

Expect Hancock to have gone in the next few days. I'd have thought that there could well be sufficient evidence for him to be facing possible jail time over this fiasco.

[vinteuil]

https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...s-tested-covid

Expect Hancock to have gone in the next few days..

... yes, more than likely that Johnson will throw him out as a sacrificial anode.

And then we can expect Johnson to call up as his next Secretary of State for Health - Gavin Williamson? George Eustice? Robert Jenrick? Grant Shapps? Liz Truss? Lord Frost? Jacob Rees-Mogg?? - or why not Chris Grayling??

Beyond despair

.

[Richard Barrett]

... yes, more than likely that Johnson will throw him out as a sacrificial anode.

I don't know, the Tories turned out in force to support him this afternoon, and if Johnson sacks him that puts out the message that Cummings was right about him, in which case he could (as no doubt is actually the case) be right about Johnson as well.

[Bryn]

I don't know, the Tories turned out in force to support him this afternoon, and if Johnson sacks him that puts out the message that Cummings was right about him, in which case he could (as no doubt is actually the case) be right about Johnson as well.

There's also the question as to how quietly Hancock would go.

[vinteuil]

There's also the question as to how quietly Hancock would go.

I feel he's already a broken man. I wouldn't be at all surprised if he was quite happy to depart the scene.

Trivial pursuit matter - Matt Hancock and Dominic Cummings went to the same Oxford college.

In fact the same college as Stanley (father of Boris) Johnson

( ... and me )

.

[Nick Armstrong]

I feel he's already a broken man. I wouldn't be at all surprised if he was quite happy to depart the scene.

Trivial pursuit matter - Matt Hancock and Dominic Cummings went to the same Oxford college.

In fact the same college as Stanley (father of Boris) Johnson

( ... and me )

.

[ardcarp]

I haven't read all the posts but I have a slight unease about Cummings being allowed a platform to reveal what (he says) went on behind closed doors in No 10. He is not an elected official, so not part of our democratic system...as in fact none of the so-called special advisors are. I have absolutely no regard for Bojo or his ministers, nor for their truthfulness...but they were elected to office by the system we have. One would have thought that the Civil Service...also an officially accepted organ of our government system...would serve the function of providing advice to ministers and the PM, not crackpot individuals hired by personal whim. It seems that friction between 'special advisors' and civil servants was a major cause of the mayhem around dealing with our Covid crisis.

[cloughie]

K

I haven't read all the posts but I have a slight unease about Cummings being allowed a platform to reveal what (he says) went on behind closed doors in No 10. He is not an elected official, so not part of our democratic system...as in fact none of the so-called special advisors are. I have absolutely no regard for Bojo or his ministers, nor for their truthfulness...but they were elected to office by the system we have. One would have thought that the Civil Service...also an officially accepted organ of our government system...would serve the function of providing advice to ministers and the PM, not crackpot individuals hired by personal whim. It seems that friction between 'special advisors' and civil servants was a major cause of the mayhem around dealing with our Covid crisis.

I agree with what you say but maybe Boris and his sycophants are reaping what they have sown. Bungling has its price!

[ardcarp]

I agree 100%. BJ was indeed stupid to hire Cummings in the first place. But it's the latter's apparent 'right' to have a public voice that worries me.

[muzzer]

They’re all charlatans aren’t they? I can’t imagine what will come out about vaccine procurement when the dust settles. But the point is Johnson has an immense majority and the combo of brexit and Covid is delivering a Tory hegemony they could only have dreamed of a decade ago. I’d be surprised if Hancock goes. There’s an age-old phrase for why but in the context of covid it would be in v poor taste to use it.