Wikipedia

Dominic Cummings

(Redirected from New Frontiers Foundation)

Dominic Mckenzie Cummings (born 25 November 1971) is a British political strategist who served as Chief Adviser to British Prime Minister Boris Johnson from 24 July 2019 until he resigned on 13 November 2020.[1]

Dominic Cummings
Chief Adviser to the UK Prime Minister
In office
24 July 2019 – 13 November 2020
Prime MinisterBoris Johnson
Preceded byGavin Barwell[a]
Succeeded byEdward Lister[b]
Personal details
Born
Dominic Mckenzie Cummings

(1971-11-25) 25 November 1971 (age 52)
Durham, County Durham, England
Spouse
​
(m. 2011)​
Children1
EducationDurham School
Alma materExeter College, Oxford
OccupationPolitical adviser
Known forSpecial adviser to Education Secretary Michael Gove, 2010–2014;
Campaign Director of Vote Leave, 2015–2016;
Chief adviser to Prime Minister Boris Johnson, 2019–2020
Websitedominiccummings.com Edit this at Wikidata

From 2007 to 2014, he was a special adviser to Michael Gove, including the time that Gove served as Education Secretary, leaving when Gove was made Chief Whip in a cabinet reshuffle. From 2015 to 2016, Cummings was director of Vote Leave, an organisation which successfully executed the 2016 referendum campaign for Britain's exit from the European Union. After Johnson was appointed prime minister in July 2019, Cummings was appointed as Chief Adviser to the Prime Minister. Cummings had a contentious relationship with Chancellor Sajid Javid which culminated in Javid's resignation in February 2020 after he refused to comply with Cummings's request to dismiss his special advisers.

A scandal involving Cummings occurred in May 2020, after it was reported that he travelled to his parents' farm in Durham during the COVID-19 lockdowns while experiencing COVID-19 symptoms. 45 Conservative MPs called for his resignation and Cummings was criticised by opposition parties for noncompliance with public health restrictions.[2][3] After Cummings held a press conference explaining his journey, Johnson supported his chief adviser by saying Cummings had acted "responsibly, legally and with integrity".[4] Durham police said that they did not consider an offence was committed when Cummings travelled from London to Durham and that a minor breach might have occurred in travelling from there to Barnard Castle. The scandal negatively affected the public's trust in the government's pandemic response.[5]

Since leaving Downing Street in November 2020, Cummings has criticised the British government response to the COVID-19 pandemic and Johnson's leadership on several occasions.

Early life

edit

Cummings was born in Durham on 25 November 1971. His father, Robert, now a farmer, had a varied career, primarily as an oil rig project manager for Laing,[6] the construction firm. His mother, Morag, became a teacher and behavioural specialist after private schooling and university.[7] Sir John Laws, a former Lord Justice of Appeal, was his maternal uncle.[7]

After attending state primary school, he was privately educated at Durham School[8] and later attended Exeter College, Oxford, where he studied under Norman Stone,[9] graduating in 1994 with a First in Ancient and Modern History.[10] One of his former tutors has described him to the New Statesman as "fizzing with ideas, unconvinced by any received set of views about anything". He was "something like a Robespierre – someone determined to bring down things that don’t work."[7] Also in his youth, he worked at Klute, a nightclub owned by his uncle in Durham.[11]

After graduating, Cummings moved to Russia and lived there until 1997.[12] He shared a flat with the later Brexit-supporting economist Liam Halligan.[13]

He worked for a group attempting to set up an airline connecting Samara in southern Russia to Vienna in Austria which George Parker of the Financial Times said was "spectacularly unsuccessful".[14] He subsequently returned to the UK.

Political career

edit

From 1999 to 2002, Cummings was campaign director at Business for Sterling, the campaign against the UK joining the euro.[6][10] He then became Director of Strategy for Conservative Party leader Iain Duncan Smith for eight months in 2002, aiming to modernise the Conservative Party (of which he was not a member). He soon left in frustration at the introduction of what he saw as half-measures, labelling Duncan Smith "incompetent".[15][16]

The New Frontiers Foundation, a free-market libertarian[17] and Eurosceptic think tank which grew out of Business For Sterling,[18] was founded by Cummings in December 2003, with James Frayne as its co-founder.[19] Cummings directed the group, and was described by Andrew Pierce in The Times as "a youthful, mercurial figure who has brought together a diverse coalition including Bob Geldof and the Labour MP Frank Field to oppose the single currency".[18] The Foundation published articles and papers which argued against the United Kingdom having 'ever-closer union' with the European Union at the cost of defence links with the United States.[20] It also argued for the abolition of all trade tariffs, reform of the United Nations, research into hypersonic bombers, the creation of a research body to fund high-risk scientific projects, reform of the British civil service, and the abolition of the BBC as a public service broadcaster.[21] The Foundation argued that the BBC was the "mortal enemy" of Conservatives, saying: "There are three structural things that the right needs to happen in terms of communications. 1) the undermining of the BBC's credibility; 2) the creation of a Fox News equivalent / talk radio shows / bloggers etc to shift the centre of gravity; 3) the end of the ban on TV political advertising".[22] The Foundation closed in March 2005.[23]

Cummings was a key figure in North East Says No (NESNO) the successful campaign against a North-East Regional Assembly in 2004. Populist tactics used in this referendum were later seen as a precursor to ones used by Cummings during the Brexit referendum; for example, Cummings argued against the Assembly on the basis of increased money for the NHS,[24] and toured the region with a huge prop white elephant.[25] After the campaign, Cummings moved to his father's farm in County Durham.[10]

In 2006, while in a position of what Andrew Neil called "overall responsibility" for the website of The Spectator, Cummings republished a controversial cartoon depicting Muhammed with a bomb in his turban. This was the first time the cartoon had been published by any British news organisation and was removed after interventions from the publisher of The Spectator.[26][27]

Special Adviser to Michael Gove (2007–2014)

edit

Cummings worked for Conservative politician Michael Gove in various roles in opposition and government from 2007 to 2014. From February 2011 to January 2014, he was special adviser (spad) and Chief of Staff to Gove at the Department for Education (DfE).[15] His appointment was initially blocked by Andy Coulson from 2010 until January 2011. Cummings was later appointed in February 2011 after Coulson's resignation.[28][29] In this capacity, Cummings wrote a 237-page essay titled "Some thoughts on education and political priorities",[30] about transforming Britain into a "meritocratic technopolis";[15] the essay was described by Guardian journalist Patrick Wintour as "either mad, bad or brilliant – and probably a bit of all three".[29][31]

Cummings was known in the DfE for his blunt style and "not suffering fools gladly";[10][15] he and Michael Gove railed against the "blob", the informal alliance of senior civil servants and teachers who, in their opinion, sought to frustrate attempts at reform.[32] Cummings was also outspoken regarding other senior politicians, describing Nick Clegg's proposals on free school meals as "Dreamed up on the back of a cigarette packet",[33] and David Davis as "thick as mince" and "lazy as a toad".[32] Patrick Wintour described the Cummings–Gove working relationship: "Gove, polite to a fault, would often feign ignorance of his adviser's methods, but knew full well the dark arts that Cummings deployed to get his master's way".[33] In 2014, Prime Minister David Cameron, at a Policy Exchange speech in 2014 mentioned a "career psychopath", which was interpreted by several media outlets as a reference to Cummings,[34] although the two had never met.[33][35]

In 2012, a senior female civil servant was awarded a payout of £25,000 in a bullying case against Cummings and a senior member of Michael Gove's team, when Cummings was a special adviser at the Department for Education.[36][37]

During his time as an official working for Gove, Cummings received a warning from the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) for use of private Gmail accounts to deal with government business, saying it should be 'actively discouraged'.[38][39] The ICO uncovered an email from Cummings in which he said: "i will not answer any further emails to my official DfE account or from conservatives.com – i will only answer things that come from Gmail accounts from people who I know who they are" [sic].[40] Cummings said that this referred to the Conservative Party conference, not government business.[40]

In 2014, Cummings left his job as a special adviser and noted that he might endeavour to open a free school.[28] He had previously worked for the New Schools Network charity that advises free schools, as a volunteer from June 2009 and then as a paid freelancer from July to December 2010.[28][41]

Campaign to leave the European Union (2015–2019)

edit
See also: 2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum

Cummings became campaign director of Vote Leave upon the creation of the organisation in October 2015.[31] As the leading strategist of the campaign he was credited with creating the Vote Leave slogan, "Take back control" and the claim that Brexit could allow an extra £350 million a week to be spent on the NHS.[42][43][44] His campaign strategy was summarised as: "Do talk about immigration";[45][failed verification][46][better source needed] "Do talk about business"; "Don’t make the referendum final"; "Do keep mentioning the Charter of Fundamental Rights and the over-reach of the European Union's Court of Justice". Board member of Vote Leave Bernard Jenkin tried to remove Cummings and merge Vote Leave with the other campaign, Leave.EU.[47] Cummings and Vote Leave CEO Matthew Elliott left the board in February 2016 following reported infighting.[48] The June 2016 referendum resulted in a 51.9% vote to leave the European Union. Cummings was praised alongside Elliott as being one of the masterminds of the campaign.[49]

He advised Babylon Health on its communications strategy and senior recruitment up to September 2018. The Labour Party opposition spokesman Jon Ashworth said the links between Cummings, the health secretary and Babylon were "increasingly murky and highly irresponsible".[50]

In March 2019, the Commons Select Committee of Privileges recommended the House issue an admonishment for contempt of Parliament after Cummings failed to appear before the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee inquiry into claims of false news creation during the referendum campaign.[51] The resolution admonishing him was passed by resolution of the House of Commons on 2 April 2019.[52]

In July 2017, the lawyer and political commentator David Allen Green asked Cummings via Twitter: "Is there anything which could now happen (or not happen) which would make you now wish Leave had not won the referendum result?" Cummings replied: "Lots! I said before REF was dumb idea, other things should have been tried 1st."[53]

Chief Adviser to Boris Johnson (2019–2020)

edit

On 24 July 2019, Cummings was appointed as a senior adviser to Prime Minister Boris Johnson[54] and was described as the de facto Chief of Staff.[55][56]

On his appointment, The Guardian reported that at a conference in 2017 Cummings had argued that: "People think, and by the way I think most people are right: 'The Tory party is run by people who basically don't care about people like me'"; and that "Tory MPs largely do not care about these poorer people. They don't care about the NHS. And the public has kind of cottoned on to that".[57]

The Daily Telegraph reported on Cummings's past rivalry with Nigel Farage from the 2016 referendum campaign, and quoted Farage as saying that: "He has never liked me. He can't stand the ERG. I can't see him coming to any accommodation with anyone. He has huge personal enmity with the true believers in Brexit".[58]

Cummings was accused by Layla Moran of hypocrisy when, not long after his appointment, it was reported that a farm that he co-owns had received €250,000 (£235,000) in EU farming subsidies. Cummings had previously described such subsidies as "absurd", complaining that some of them were handed out to "very rich landowners to do stupid things".[59]

In November 2019, a whistleblower raised questions about Cummings's interactions during his years in Russia; The Sunday Times reported that Whitehall was keeping certain government business from Cummings.[60]

As is customary, Cummings temporarily resigned his role when Parliament dissolved for the 2019 general election, along with most special advisers, but was briefly reinstated to assist the government following widespread flooding.[61]

According to Politico, Cummings played a role in the Conservative Party's victory in the election,[62] after having passed the party's running of the election campaign to Isaac Levido. After the election, Cummings called for people interested in working in government to contact him through a private Gmail address. In a blog post, he said he wanted to recruit data scientists, software developers and economists to help improve the performance of government, making his own role "within a year largely redundant".[63] The recruitment drive was reported to have resulted in several appointments on short-term contracts, including Baroness Wolf of Dulwich, Professor Vernon Gibson and, briefly, Andrew Sabisky.[64] Sabisky resigned in February 2020 following complaints about his previously expressed views on race, intelligence and eugenics.[65] Will O'Shea, a data specialist appointed through Cummings's scheme, was dismissed in July 2020 after calling for police to shoot Black Lives Matter protesters with live ammunition.[66]

Cummings's relationship with the media has been seen as adversarial; Jim Waterson in The Guardian argued that although Cummings attempted to go to "war with the BBC, Channel 4 News and all manner of other news outlets deemed to represent the views of the metropolitan elite and not the 52% of the country who had voted for Brexit" the "half-finished cultural revolution" of Cummings and Lee Cain had "often been more bark than bite. Proposals to decriminalise non-payment of the BBC licence fee ... have been kicked into the long grass. A boycott of [government ministers appearing on] Radio 4's Today programme was meant to last until 'they better understand the country' but was dropped after a few months. When the full scale of the coronavirus pandemic became apparent, Cain gathered journalists together and promised a more cooperative attitude to fit the times."[67] (Conservative boycotting of the Today programme in particular was a goal of Cummings's when he was a member of the New Frontiers Foundation, before he was an adviser to Johnson.[21]) Conversely, ITV political editor Robert Peston said in The Spectator that he was the victim of social media abuse "for reporting anything perceived to have originated anywhere near Cummings", and was accused of being Cummings's personal stenographer. He also added that "one senior Tory who thought about applying to be Beeb chair" told him that calls for the BBC's "cultural re-education", which many assumed came from Cummings, actually came from Munira Mirza, director of the Number 10 Policy Unit.[68]

Sonia Khan's dismissal

edit

In August 2019, Cummings dismissed Sonia Khan, one of the Treasury's special advisers, without the permission or knowledge of Chancellor of the Exchequer Sajid Javid. The dismissal occurred during preparations for suspending parliament, which Cummings had planned and which would limit the time in which MPs could block a no-deal Brexit. According to The Guardian, Cummings believed that Khan had been dishonest about her recent contact with her ex-boss, previous chancellor and no-deal opponent Philip Hammond, and, according to an unconfirmed report, dismissed her after summoning her to 10 Downing Street and viewing recent activity on her phones, and then asked an armed officer to enter the building and escort Khan off the premises. Former attorney general Dominic Grieve said that the cabinet secretary should hold an inquiry and that "it was wrong of the police to get involved". Dal Babu, former chief superintendent of the Metropolitan police, said it was "a shocking abuse of armed officers" and that the police should be asking questions of both Cummings and the Prime Minister about an abuse of process.[69] The following month, The Times reported that Cummings had "seized new powers to sack ministers' advisers", as their new employment contracts stipulated that responsibility for disciplinary matters rested with the Prime Minister's Chief of Staff as well as with their respective ministers.[70]

Khan, supported by the FDA trade union, took a claim for unfair dismissal to an employment tribunal, arguing Cummings was pivotal to a claim of sex discrimination. The hearing was scheduled for December 2020 at which Cummings was due to give evidence, but in November 2020 a "five-figure" financial settlement of the claim was agreed.[71]

Relationship with Sajid Javid at the Treasury

edit

Javid "voiced anger" to Johnson over the dismissal of Khan[72] and Cummings faced the prospect of a probe by a governmental ethics watchdog following the dismissal.[73] In November 2019, following questions of a rift between Downing Street and Javid, Johnson gave his assurance that he would retain Javid as chancellor after the 2019 general election.[74]

In the weeks leading up to the February 2020 reshuffle, briefings in the press had suggested that a new economic ministry led by Rishi Sunak might be established, to reduce the power and political influence of the Treasury. Sunak was considered to be a Johnson loyalist, favoured by Cummings.[75][76] By February 2020, it was reported that Sunak would stay on as Chief Secretary to the Treasury, for Cummings to "keep an eye" on Javid.[77]

On 13 February 2020, the day of the reshuffle, Javid resigned as Chancellor of the Exchequer, following a meeting with the Prime Minister. During the meeting, Johnson had said Javid could keep his position on the condition that he dismiss all of his advisers at the Treasury, who would be replaced with ones selected by Cummings. Upon resigning, Javid told the Press Association that "no self-respecting minister would accept those terms".[78][79]

The Chancellor's resignation was unexpected, given Johnson's commitment to retain Javid within the Cabinet, and recent reports that an alternative finance ministry would not be made. Robert Shrimsley, chief political commentator of the Financial Times, stated that the Prime Minister's choice of Cummings over Javid at the time risked damaging the government, that "good government often depends on senior ministers – and the Chancellor in particular – being able to fight bad ideas".[80]

COVID-19 pandemic

edit
Main article: Dominic Cummings scandal

In March 2020, it was reported in The Sunday Times that during a private engagement the previous month, Cummings had said that the government's strategy towards COVID-19 was "herd immunity, protect the economy and if that means some pensioners die, too bad". The spokesman for 10 Downing Street decried the article as "a highly defamatory fabrication" which "includes a series of apparent quotes from meetings which are invented".[81] On 27 April, the Guardian website reported that Cummings sat in on meetings of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE), which advises the cabinet on COVID-19 response.[82] According to two participants in a SAGE meeting of 18 March, Cummings pressed for a faster lockdown, including closure of pubs and restaurants within two days.[83]

A joint investigation by the Daily Mirror and The Guardian, published on 22 May 2020, reported that, following sightings of Cummings in Durham at the end of March, the police had spoken to him about breaching lockdown rules.[84] This report triggered criticism of Cummings at the time as the government had instructed people to remain at home unless absolutely necessary, with certain provisos. On 25 May, Cummings made a public statement in the garden of 10 Downing Street, giving the following account of his actions during the time in question.

On 27 March 2020 Cummings received a phone call at work from his wife to say that she was feeling ill. After going home to check on her, he returned to work. Later that day, the couple discussed her health and thought it was possible she had caught COVID-19, even though she was not displaying the symptoms at the time. They were both worried that they would become too weak to look after their four-year-old son if he became ill as well. He said he travelled to Durham that night to stay at a house on his parents' farmland, near to their house and that of his sister, 264 miles (425 km) from his usual residence in London. He stated that the lockdown regulations allowed journeys to facilitate child care as necessary journeys and he believed that this trip was therefore allowed. On 28 March he woke up with what were clearly COVID-19 symptoms, which got worse so that he barely left his bed over the following days.[85]

On 30 March, Downing Street reported that Cummings had displayed symptoms of COVID-19 and was self-isolating. This was three days after Boris Johnson had tested positive for the virus.[86] In his statement, Cummings went on to say that on 2 April 2020, his son became ill and was taken to hospital by ambulance and tested for COVID-19 (the test results a few days later were negative). Cummings said he was too ill to go to the hospital but his wife went by ambulance and he collected them by car the next day, but did not get out of the car. He said that on 12 April (Easter Day) he was well enough to return to London. He continued that he drove the family to the town of Barnard Castle (30 miles away) to assess whether he was well enough to drive, as his wife was concerned that the disease had affected his eyesight.[87] He said they then returned to London the next day.[85][88]

Cummings's statement was met with scepticism from the media and the public.[89][90] The journey to Barnard Castle took place on his wife's birthday.[91] There had been additional reports of the family being seen in a wood near Durham and elsewhere in the area on 19 April. Cummings said they were not there and were already in London and had not returned to Durham.[85]

The Mirror/Guardian investigation also alleged that police spoke to Cummings regarding a breach of lockdown rules.[92][93] On 23 May, Durham Constabulary said that it was Cummings's father who had contacted them, instead of them contacting and speaking to Cummings, and that they had discussed, by telephone, matters relating to security.[94] Following publication of the reports, the Scottish National Party leader in Westminster, Ian Blackford and the acting leader of the Liberal Democrats, Ed Davey, called for Cummings to resign if the allegations were to be confirmed, while Labour said 10 Downing Street needed to provide a "very swift explanation" for his actions.[95][96] On 24 May, The Observer and Sunday Mirror alleged that Cummings had made a second trip to Durham during lockdown after returning to, and being photographed in, London.[97] Cummings denied these allegations, and Downing Street said it would not waste time answering such allegations from "campaigning newspapers".[3] Boris Johnson, as part of a televised update on the coronavirus situation on 24 May, defended Cummings and said he had acted "responsibly, legally and with integrity".[4][98]

On 25 May 2020, Durham's Acting Police, Crime and Victims’ Commissioner Steve White asked Durham Constabulary to investigate any potential breach of the law or regulations in relation to Cummings's Durham movements.[99][100] That same day, Cummings held a press conference to give his reasoning for his actions, stating: "There is no regulation covering the situation I found myself in".[101]

On 28 May, Durham Police said that they did not consider an offence was committed by Cummings in travelling from London to Durham.[102] They also said that a minor breach relating to lockdown rules might have occurred at Barnard Castle, but because there was no apparent breach of the social distancing rules, no action would be taken now, stating: "Had a Durham Constabulary police officer stopped Mr Cummings driving to or from Barnard Castle, the officer would have spoken to him, and, having established the facts, likely advised Mr Cummings to return to the address in Durham, providing advice on the dangers of travelling during the pandemic crisis. Had this advice been accepted by Mr Cummings, no enforcement action would have been taken." They also said there was insufficient evidence of a return to the Durham area on 19 April.[102] On 3 June, it was reported that Durham County Council was investigating complaints it had received that the cottage Cummings stayed in did not hold the relevant planning permission.[103]

A YouGov poll conducted after his press conference of 25 May, found that 71% of the public thought that Cummings had broken the lockdown rules and 59% thought he should resign.[89] By the following day, 61 Conservative MPs had criticised Cummings with 44 calling for him to resign or be sacked,[104] increasing to 98 and 45 respectively by 29 May.[2] Among Cummings's Conservative critics was Jeremy Hunt, who said that Cummings had made multiple moves that were "clearly mistakes" and risked undermining public health advice. He said that amongst these mistakes there were three apparent breaches of the advice or rules. The first was Cummings's brief return to work before they left for Durham, the second was the trip to Durham instead of staying at home and the third was the visit to Barnard Castle.[105] In August 2020, the Lancet published a study on the degree to which these events had undermined essential public health messaging, described as the "Cummings effect".[5]

In July 2021, The Guardian reported that Cummings had personally contacted Paul Stephenson, a former colleague from Vote Leave, to invite his company, Hanbury Strategy, to work for the government during its pandemic response.[106] Stephenson's company was awarded a £580,000 Cabinet Office contract to conduct opinion polling without competitive tender.[107]

Departure from Downing Street

edit

The BBC reported on 13 November 2020 that following the decision of Cummings's long-time ally Lee Cain, Downing Street Director of Communications, to stand down, Cummings was expected to leave Downing Street by the end of 2020. The BBC cited a "senior Downing Street source".[108] Cummings responded by saying that he had not threatened to resign over Cain's resignation, and pointed out that he had said in a January 2020 blog post that he planned to make himself "largely redundant" by the end of the year[109] and that his position on that had not changed.[108]

On 14 November, The Times reported that Cummings had been told to leave Downing Street by Johnson, but also said that he was on garden leave and was working from home on Johnson's plan for mass COVID-19 testing. He was photographed leaving Number 10 with a storage box. The Times said that Edward Lister would be promoted to replace him for an interim period, but that Lister was also due to leave in January.[110] Andrew Rawnsley, The Observer's chief political reporter, recorded one former cabinet minister as saying that Cummings had exited "without leaving much trace,"[111] while The Economist stated that Cummings had "wasted the greatest opportunity of his life."[112]

Reflection on the government response to the COVID-19 pandemic

edit

On 26 May 2021 Cummings gave seven hours of testimony to the Commons Health and Social Care Committee and Science and Technology Committee on the government's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom.[113] Cummings apologised for officials, including himself, falling "disastrously short of the standards that the public has a right to expect", and said that the "government failed".[113][114] Criticising government leadership, Cummings said that Health Secretary Matt Hancock should have been fired for lying, and that frontline workers and civil servants were "lions led by donkeys".[114][115] Boris Johnson faced criticism, with Cummings saying that there were "thousands" of people better suited to run the country than him, and that he was not a "fit and proper person" to get the UK through the pandemic.[114][115]

On the calling of lockdowns, Cummings said that Johnson had disagreed with the first national lockdown, and was against the "circuit breaker" lockdown in autumn 2020 for economic reasons.[115] Cummings said that he heard Johnson say he would rather see "bodies pile high" than take the country into a third lockdown, which Johnson denies.[115] Cummings also said that Johnson did not take advice and did not involve or ask the cabinet.[115]

On 20 July 2021 the BBC broadcast an hour-long programme of Cummings being interviewed by Laura Kuenssberg. Cummings presented his perspective on events during his time at the Vote Leave campaign and during his appointment as Boris Johnson's chief aide, and commented disparagingly on the competency of government and Johnson in particular.[116][117]

New political party

edit

In May 2024, Cummings was reportedly preparing for a new political party that might replace the Conservative Party if the latter were to fall apart after the 2024 general election.[118][119]

Political views

edit

Cummings has described his political views as "not Tory (Conservative), libertarian, 'populist' or anything else".[120] In January 2016, five months prior to the 2016 European Union referendum in the United Kingdom, Cummings said:

Extremists are on the rise in Europe and are being fuelled unfortunately by the Euro project and by the centralisation of power in Brussels. It is increasingly important that Britain offers an example of civilised, democratic, liberal self-government.[31]

At an Ogilvy conference in 2017, Cummings stated his belief that the EU, rather than solving issues, was fuelling radicalism and extremism due to a perceived lack of control over issues such as economy and immigration:

For me ... the worst-case scenario for Europe is a return to 1930s-style protectionism and extremism. And to me the EU project, the Eurozone project, are driving the growth of extremism. The single most important reason, really, for why I wanted to get out of the EU is I think that it will drain the poison of a lot of political debates ... UKIP and Nigel Farage would be finished. Once there's democratic control of immigration policy, immigration will go back to being a second- or third-order issue.[121]

Cummings has frequently criticised what he sees as a London-centred political system that failed to countenance the UK's voting to leave the European Union.[122] He has expressed his dismay that many voters' concerns, particularly in Northern England and the Midlands, have been ignored by both the Conservatives and Labour and 'taken for granted'.[122] He criticised New Labour's attempt at re-balancing inherent structural deficiencies within the British economy following de-industrialisation with a system of tax credits.[122]

Cummings has said he has never been a member of a political party.[123] He came second in a list by LBC of the "Top 100 Most Influential Conservatives of 2019".[124] Although frequently portrayed as on the right of the political spectrum, he has expressed dismay for the European Research Group led by Jacob Rees-Mogg, describing the group as "useful idiots" for the argument to remain in the EU and that they "should be treated like a metastasising tumour and excised from the UK body politic."[125] He sought to isolate Nigel Farage from the official Vote Leave campaign in the 2016 referendum, believing his presence to not be helpful in winning over undecided voters.[126]

Cummings has criticised former United States President Donald Trump for having "demonstrated no interest in actually controlling the government" and his inability to "execute at scale and speed", and encouraged the Republican Party to nominate an alternative to Trump as its candidate for the 2024 US presidential election. He has cited Curtis Yarvin, Andrew Sullivan and David Shor, amongst others, as "people I have found interesting" in US politics.[127]

Personal life

edit

In December 2011, Cummings married Mary Wakefield, the sister of his friend Jack Wakefield,[128] former director of the Firtash Foundation.[129] Mary Wakefield has worked at the weekly magazine The Spectator for decades, since Boris Johnson was editor, and is now commissioning editor. She is the daughter of Sir Humphry Wakefield, 2nd Baronet, of Chillingham Castle in Northumberland.[16] Her mother is Katherine Wakefield, née Baring, elder daughter of Evelyn Baring, 1st Baron Howick of Glendale.[130]

In 2016, they had a son,[131][132] (Alexander) Cedd (named after an Anglo-Saxon saint).[128][133]

Cummings is reportedly fascinated by Otto von Bismarck, Richard Feynman, Sun Tzu,[121] and US fighter pilot and military strategist John Boyd.[134] Journalist Owen Bennett wrote that Cummings "is a Russophile, speaks Russian, and is passionately interested in Dostoyevsky",[6] while Patrick Wintour in The Guardian reported that "Anna Karenina, maths and Bismarck are his three obsessions."[33]

Depictions

edit

Cummings was portrayed by Benedict Cumberbatch in the 2019 Channel 4 drama Brexit: The Uncivil War.[135][136]

In the 2020 revival of Spitting Image, Cummings's puppet was portrayed "as a creepy alien with a pulsating head who drools at the prospect of eating Johnson's baby".[137][138] He was voiced by Daniel Barker.[139]

In September 2022, Cummings was portrayed by Simon Paisley Day in Michael Winterbottom's miniseries This England.

In February 2023, Cummings was portrayed by Chris Porter in DOM: The Play at The Other Palace Theatre, London, and then again in April at Theatre Royal, Windsor and at the Assembly Rooms at the Edinburgh Fringe 2023.

Notes

edit
  1. ^ As Downing Street Chief of Staff.
  2. ^ As acting Downing Street Chief of Staff.

References

edit
  1. ^ "Dominic Cummings: PM's top adviser leaves No 10 to 'clear the air'". BBC News. 13 November 2020. Archived from the original on 13 November 2020. Retrieved 14 November 2020.
  2. ^ a b Mason, Rowena (28 May 2020). "The Conservative MPs calling for Dominic Cummings to go". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 28 May 2020. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
  3. ^ a b "Dominic Cummings denies second Durham trip amid calls for his resignation over alleged coronavirus lockdown breaches". ITV News. 24 May 2020. Archived from the original on 25 May 2020. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
  4. ^ a b Otte, Jedidajah; Walawalkar, Aaron (24 May 2020). "UK coronavirus live: Boris Johnson says Dominic Cummings acted 'responsibly, legally and with integrity'". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 24 May 2020. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
  5. ^ a b Fancourt, Daisy; Steptoe, Andrew; Wright, Liam (15 August 2020). "The Cummings effect: politics, trust, and behaviours during the COVID-19 pandemic". The Lancet. 396 (10249): 464–465. doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(20)31690-1. ISSN 0140-6736. PMC 7613216. PMID 32771083.
  6. ^ a b c Bennett, Owen (2019). "Chapter 11: Changing Places". Michael Gove: A Man in a Hurry. Biteback Publishing. ISBN 978-1785904400.
  7. ^ a b c Lambert, Harry (25 September 2019). "Dominic Cummings: The Machiavel in Downing Street". The New Statesman. Archived from the original on 3 June 2021. Retrieved 16 December 2019.
  8. ^ Lambert, Harry (25 September 2019). "Dominic Cummings: The Machiavel in Downing Street". New Statesman. Archived from the original on 6 December 2019. Retrieved 16 December 2019.
  9. ^ Hinsliff, Gaby (28 July 2002). "Another fine mess". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 16 December 2019. Retrieved 3 November 2019.
  10. ^ a b c d Gimson, Andrew (15 May 2014). "A profile of Dominic Cummings, friend of Gove and enemy of Clegg". ConservativeHome. Archived from the original on 11 January 2020. Retrieved 10 June 2016.
  11. ^ Saunders, Tom (27 July 2019). "Dominic Cummings: "I wasn't a bouncer, I just helped take money"". Palatinate. Archived from the original on 26 February 2020. Retrieved 27 January 2020.
  12. ^ Grierson, Jamie (3 November 2019). "Labour questions Dominic Cummings's links to Russia". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 11 November 2020. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  13. ^ Gray, Freddy (14 November 2019). "Exclusive: Dominic Cummings's secret links to Russia". The Spectator. Archived from the original on 19 November 2023. Retrieved 19 November 2023.
  14. ^ Parker, George (16 January 2020). "Dominic Cummings has 'done' Brexit. Now he plans to reinvent politics". The Financial Times. Archived from the original on 26 February 2020. Retrieved 26 May 2020.
  15. ^ a b c d Bagehot (21 January 2016). "An optimistic Eurosceptic. For Dominic Cummings, leaving the European Union is a first step in a British renaissance". The Economist. Archived from the original on 14 May 2018. Retrieved 26 August 2017.
  16. ^ a b Oppenheim, Maya (5 July 2017). "Dominic Cummings: The Vote Leave chief who invented £350m claim before admitting Brexit was a mistake". The Independent. Archived from the original on 8 August 2019. Retrieved 9 August 2019.
  17. ^ Mazza, Julia (9 October 2020). "Dominic Cummings: made in the North East?". North East Bylines. Byline Times. Archived from the original on 15 November 2020. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  18. ^ a b Pierce, Andrew (16 December 2003). "People with Andrew Pierce". The Times. Archived from the original on 3 March 2021. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  19. ^ Lambert, Harry (23 January 2020). "What Dominic Cummings was thinking in 2004". New Statesman. Archived from the original on 26 November 2020. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
  20. ^ English, Otto (9 January 2020). "The Odyssean Project: In Search of Dominic Cummings – Part One". Byline Times. Archived from the original on 5 December 2020. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  21. ^ a b Mason, Rowena (21 January 2020). "Dominic Cummings thinktank called for 'end of BBC in current form'". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 13 November 2020. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  22. ^ Stubley, Peter (22 January 2020). "Dominic Cummings' think tank called for 'end of BBC it its current form' and creation of Fox News equivalent in UK". The Independent. Archived from the original on 5 October 2020. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
  23. ^ "It could have been so much worse". Social Affairs Unit. 4 May 2005. Archived from the original on 7 May 2005. Retrieved 18 June 2016.
  24. ^ McDevitt, Johnny (12 November 2019). "Dominic Cummings honed strategy in 2004 vote, video reveals". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 13 November 2020. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  25. ^ Diver, Tony (29 May 2020). "Who is Dominic Cummings, and how did he become Boris Johnson's chief adviser?". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 12 November 2020. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
  26. ^ Tryhorn, Chris (2 February 2006). "Spectator makes cartoon U-turn". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 27 May 2020. Retrieved 28 May 2020.
  27. ^ Waterson, Jim (28 May 2020). "Quarantine article by Dominic Cummings' wife reported to regulator". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 28 May 2020. Retrieved 28 May 2020.
  28. ^ a b c Garner, Richard; Cusick, James (7 October 2013). "Michael Gove's controversial adviser Dominic Cummings 'quits to open new free school'". The Independent. Archived from the original on 25 May 2016. Retrieved 18 June 2016.
  29. ^ a b Wintour, Patrick (11 October 2013). "Dominic Cummings: genius or menace?". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 30 June 2016. Retrieved 18 June 2016.
  30. ^ Cummings, Dominic (2013). "Some thoughts on education and political priorities" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 4 January 2020. Retrieved 10 June 2016.
  31. ^ a b c Bagehot (21 January 2016). "An interview with Dominic Cummings". The Economist. London. Archived from the original on 14 May 2018. Retrieved 21 August 2019.
  32. ^ a b "Dominic Cummings: Who is Boris Johnson's senior adviser?". BBC News. 13 November 2020. Archived from the original on 20 July 2022. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
  33. ^ a b c d Wintour, Patrick (26 July 2019). "Dominic Cummings: master of the dark arts handed keys to No 10". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 5 June 2023. Retrieved 10 August 2019.
  34. ^ Mason, Rowena (18 June 2014). "PM backs Michael Gove but suggests former aide was a 'career psychopath'". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 6 July 2016. Retrieved 1 July 2016.
  35. ^ Steerpike (19 June 2014). "David Cameron attacks 'career psychopath' Dominic Cummings". The Spectator. Spectator. Archived from the original on 29 July 2020. Retrieved 19 June 2020.
  36. ^ Helm, Toby (15 February 2020). "Cummings and Johnson face backlash over sacking of advisers". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 12 November 2022. Retrieved 15 February 2020.
  37. ^ Syal, Rajeev (4 March 2020). "Priti Patel accused of bullying a third senior civil servant". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 3 March 2020. Retrieved 4 March 2020.
  38. ^ "Gove warned private emails covered by information laws". BBC News. 15 December 2011. Archived from the original on 22 June 2020. Retrieved 19 June 2020.
  39. ^ Finnis, Alex (23 May 2020). "Who is Dominic Cummings? Boris Johnson aide's controversies, from breaching lockdown to contempt of Parliament". i. JPI Media. Archived from the original on 21 June 2020. Retrieved 19 June 2020.
  40. ^ a b Cook, Chris (2 March 2012). "Gove staff destroyed government emails". Financial Times. Archived from the original on 27 July 2019. Retrieved 8 January 2020.
  41. ^ McClenaghan, Maeve (18 November 2011). "Gove aide given parliamentary pass while at New Schools Network". The Bureau of Investigative Journalism. Archived from the original on 11 August 2016. Retrieved 18 June 2016.
  42. ^ Mance, Henry; Parker, George (14 June 2016). "Combative Brexiter who took control of Vote Leave operation". Financial Times. London. Archived from the original on 19 August 2016. Retrieved 11 August 2016.
  43. ^ "Matthew Elliott on Vote Leave's 'genius moment'". BBC News. Archived from the original on 30 October 2016. Retrieved 10 August 2016.
  44. ^ Merrick, Rob (4 July 2017). "Brexit director who created £350m NHS claim admits leaving EU could be 'an error'". The Independent. Archived from the original on 19 May 2020. Retrieved 28 May 2020.
  45. ^ Mandelson, Peter (3 May 2016). "Why is the Brexit camp so obsessed with immigration? Because that's all they have". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 29 July 2019. Retrieved 29 July 2019.
  46. ^ Cummings, Dominic (22 April 2018). "Mr". youtube. Brexit Sham. Archived from the original on 2 August 2019. Retrieved 29 July 2019.
  47. ^ Dico, Joy Lo (24 February 2016). "How Will Straw and Dominic Cummings are pulling the strings of the EU Referendum power players". London Evening Standard. Archived from the original on 14 June 2016. Retrieved 18 June 2016.
  48. ^ Wilson, Jeremy (4 February 2016). "Everyone in the campaign to get Britain out of the EU is stabbing each other in the back". Business Insider UK. Archived from the original on 8 February 2016. Retrieved 18 June 2016.
  49. ^ Payne, Sebastian (24 June 2016). "How Vote Leave won the EU referendum". Financial Times. London. Archived from the original on 1 September 2016. Retrieved 10 August 2016.
  50. ^ Downey, Andrea (17 October 2019). "Dominic Cummings' alleged Babylon role raises concerns". Digital Health. Archived from the original on 24 December 2019. Retrieved 21 November 2019.
  51. ^ "Vote Leave's Dominic Cummings 'in contempt of Parliament'". BBC News. 27 March 2019. Archived from the original on 1 August 2019. Retrieved 27 July 2019.
  52. ^ "Privileges – Hansard". hansard.parliament.uk. Archived from the original on 11 December 2019. Retrieved 2 September 2019.
  53. ^ Freedland, Jonathan (5 July 2017). "Is Brexit an error? Now even Vote Leave's chief is having doubts". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 3 February 2020. Retrieved 3 February 2020.
  54. ^ Heffer, Greg (24 July 2019). "Who is 'career psychopath' Dominic Cummings set to join Johnson's team?". Sky News. Archived from the original on 24 July 2019. Retrieved 24 July 2019.
  55. ^ Morrison, Sean (13 December 2019). "Key players in Boris Johnson's election campaign". Evening Standard. Archived from the original on 24 April 2021. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
  56. ^ Wickham, Alex (27 July 2019). "How Dominic Cummings Took Control In Boris Johnson's First Days As Prime Minister". BuzzFeed. Archived from the original on 7 November 2020. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
  57. ^ Mason, Rowena (30 July 2019). "Dominic Cummings: Tory MPs do not care about poor people or NHS". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 1 April 2020. Retrieved 31 July 2019.
  58. ^ Bennett, Asa (31 July 2019). "Dominic Cummings and Nigel Farage: the Brexit referendum rivalry that continues to rage". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 2 August 2019. Retrieved 3 August 2019.
  59. ^ Doward, Jamie; Sandiford, Josh (10 August 2019). "Brexit enforcer Cummings' farm took €235,000 in EU handouts". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 10 August 2019. Retrieved 1 August 2019.
  60. ^ Harper, Tom; Wheeler, Caroline (3 November 2019). "Labour asks about Dominic Cummings' years working in Russia". The Times. Archived from the original on 13 April 2020. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
  61. ^ Lyons, Kate (27 November 2019). "YouGov poll suggests Tories on course for comfortable general election victory". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 28 November 2019. Retrieved 27 November 2019.
  62. ^ Dickson, Annabelle; Casalicchio, Emilio; Blanchard, Jack; Courea, Eleni (13 December 2019). "We're all living in Dominic Cummings' world now". Politico. Archived from the original on 14 December 2019. Retrieved 14 December 2019.
  63. ^ "PM's senior aide Dominic Cummings calls for civil service changes". BBC News. 3 January 2020. Archived from the original on 3 January 2020. Retrieved 3 January 2020.
  64. ^ Shipman, Tim (23 February 2020). "Dominic Cummings and Boris Johnson: working in tandem or pulling apart?". Sunday Times. Archived from the original on 23 February 2020. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
  65. ^ "No 10 adviser resigns over alleged race comments". BBC News. 18 February 2020. Archived from the original on 5 March 2020. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
  66. ^ Shahid, Nimra; Conn, David; Goodley, Simon; Cutler, Sam (2 September 2020). "Cummings recruit sacked after suggesting police use 'live rounds' on BLM protesters". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 2 September 2020. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
  67. ^ Waterson, Jim (16 November 2020). "Dominic Cummings' media approach often more bark than bite". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 24 November 2020. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
  68. ^ Peston, Robert (21 November 2020). "Diary". The Spectator. p. 9. Archived from the original on 24 November 2020. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
  69. ^ Helm, Toby; Townsend, Mark (1 September 2019). "PM 'must launch urgent inquiry into Dominic Cummings's reign of terror'". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 29 November 2020. Retrieved 1 September 2019.
  70. ^ Zeffman, Henry (18 September 2019). "Dominic Cummings cements his power to sack advisers". The Times. Archived from the original on 18 September 2019. Retrieved 18 September 2019.
  71. ^ Syal, Rajeev (13 November 2020). "Special adviser sacked by Dominic Cummings to receive payoff". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 13 November 2020. Retrieved 13 November 2020.
  72. ^ "Javid 'voiced anger' to PM over adviser sacking". BBC News. 31 August 2019. Archived from the original on 1 September 2019. Retrieved 1 September 2019.
  73. ^ Shipman, Tim (1 September 2019). "Sajid Javid aide Sonia Khan fired in 'mafia-style hit'". The Sunday Times. ISSN 0956-1382. Archived from the original on 1 September 2019. Retrieved 1 September 2019.
  74. ^ Parker, George; Payne, Sebastian (18 November 2019). "Boris Johnson vows to retain Sajid Javid as chancellor". Financial Times. Archived from the original on 18 September 2020. Retrieved 28 May 2020.
  75. ^ Parker, George (25 December 2019). "Johnson's 'favourite minister' tipped to run super-ministry". Financial Times. Archived from the original on 9 June 2020. Retrieved 28 May 2020.
  76. ^ Balls, Katy (13 February 2020). "Is Sajid Javid at war with No. 10?". The Spectator. Archived from the original on 13 February 2020. Retrieved 28 May 2020.
  77. ^ Mason, Rowena (5 February 2020). "Ministers jostle as Johnson plans long-awaited reshuffle". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 9 June 2020. Retrieved 28 May 2020.
  78. ^ Mason, Rowena (13 February 2020). "Sajid Javid resigns as chancellor amid Johnson reshuffle". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 13 February 2020. Retrieved 28 May 2020.
  79. ^ "Sajid Javid quits as British Chancellor". RTÉ. 13 February 2020. Archived from the original on 2 May 2020. Retrieved 28 May 2020.
  80. ^ Shrimsley, Robert (13 February 2020). "Johnson has backed Cummings over his chancellor — and there will be a cost". Financial Times. Archived from the original on 31 May 2020. Retrieved 28 May 2020.
  81. ^ Walker, Peter (22 March 2020). "No 10 denies claim Dominic Cummings argued to 'let old people die'". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 3 February 2021. Retrieved 22 March 2020.
  82. ^ Sample, Ian (24 April 2020). "Who's who on secret scientific group advising UK government?". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 29 April 2020. Retrieved 27 April 2020.
  83. ^ Morales, Alex; Ring, Suzi (28 April 2020). "Johnson's Top Aide Pushed Scientists to Back U.K. Lockdown". Bloomberg. Archived from the original on 10 February 2021. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
  84. ^ Weaver, Matthew (22 May 2020). "Pressure on Dominic Cummings to quit over lockdown breach". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 28 December 2022. Retrieved 29 November 2023.
  85. ^ a b c Kenber, Billy (26 May 2020). "I tried to do the right thing but reasonable people may disagree". The Times. p. 4. Archived from the original on 21 October 2020. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  86. ^ Buchan, Lizzy (30 March 2020). "Dominic Cummings self-isolates after he develops coronavirus symptoms". The Independent. Archived from the original on 4 June 2020. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
  87. ^ "Dominic Cummings: 'I don't regret what I did'". ITV News. 25 May 2020. Archived from the original on 1 June 2020. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  88. ^ Ford, Richard; Hamilton, Fiona (25 May 2020). "Feverish days and PM's closest adviser is not out of the woods". The Times. p. 4. Archived from the original on 3 March 2021. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  89. ^ a b Stewart, Heather; Mason, Rowena; Proctor, Kate (27 May 2020). "Dominic Cummings: Tory unrest increases pressure on PM to sack adviser". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 27 May 2020. Retrieved 28 May 2020.
  90. ^ Norwood, Graham (30 May 2020). "Dominic Cummings – lessons for the agency industry". Estate Agent Today. Archived from the original on 18 December 2022. Retrieved 6 June 2020.
  91. ^ "Dominic Cummings: What is the scandal about?". BBC News. 26 May 2020. Archived from the original on 7 June 2020. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
  92. ^ Weaver, Matthew (22 May 2020). "Pressure on Dominic Cummings to quit over lockdown breach". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 28 December 2022. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
  93. ^ "What did Dominic Cummings do during lockdown?". BBC News. 25 May 2020. Archived from the original on 18 December 2022. Retrieved 25 May 2020.
  94. ^ "Police challenge Government over Dominic Cummings lockdown denial". ITV News. 23 May 2020. Archived from the original on 4 October 2020. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
  95. ^ Weaver, Matthew (22 May 2020). "Police spoke to Dominic Cummings after Durham trip in lockdown". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 28 December 2022. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
  96. ^ "PM's top aide visited parents' home during lockdown". BBC News. 22 May 2020. Archived from the original on 29 January 2021. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
  97. ^ "Coronavirus: Dominic Cummings 'made second lockdown trip'". BBC News Online. 23 May 2020. Archived from the original on 24 May 2020. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
  98. ^ Diver, Tony (24 May 2020). "Coronavirus latest news: Boris Johnson backs Cummings and says he acted 'responsibly, legally and with integrity'". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 24 May 2020. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
  99. ^ Devlin, Kate (25 May 2020). "Durham police asked to establish whether Dominic Cummings broke the law". The Independent. Archived from the original on 28 May 2020. Retrieved 25 May 2020.
  100. ^ Dodd, Vikram (25 May 2020). "Durham police to be asked to investigate Dominic Cummings". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 25 May 2020. Retrieved 25 May 2020.
  101. ^ Payne, Sebastian (25 May 2020). "Boris Johnson sorry for public 'anger and pain' after Cummings defends trips". Financial Times. Archived from the original on 26 May 2020. Retrieved 28 May 2020.
  102. ^ a b "Dominic Cummings 'might have broken lockdown rules' – police". BBC News. 28 May 2020. Archived from the original on 28 May 2020. Retrieved 28 May 2020.
  103. ^ "Cummings' lockdown-trip cottage plans investigated". BBC News. 3 June 2020. Archived from the original on 4 June 2020. Retrieved 5 June 2020.
  104. ^ Mason, Rowena (27 May 2020). "Tory anger at Dominic Cummings grows as 61 MPs defy Boris Johnson". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 28 May 2020. Retrieved 28 May 2020.
  105. ^ Fisher, Lucy; Grylls, George (27 May 2020). "Johnson faces Tory showdown as Hunt condemns top adviser". The Times. p. 6. Archived from the original on 14 September 2020. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  106. ^ Conn, David (29 July 2021). "Dominic Cummings pushed through award of £580k Covid deal to Vote Leave ally". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 29 July 2021. Retrieved 29 July 2021.
  107. ^ Pegg, David; Rob, Evans (4 September 2020). "Cummings ally's PR firm given Covid-19 contracts without tenders". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 29 July 2021. Retrieved 29 July 2021.
  108. ^ a b "Dominic Cummings to leave Downing Street by Christmas". BBC News. 13 November 2020. Archived from the original on 14 November 2020. Retrieved 13 November 2020.
  109. ^ Cummings, Dominic (2 January 2020). "'Two hands are a lot' — we're hiring data scientists, project managers, policy experts, assorted weirdos..." Archived from the original on 3 January 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  110. ^ Swinford, Steven; Wright, Oliver (14 November 2020). "Cummings forced out in purge of Brexiteers". The Times. p. 1. Archived from the original on 17 November 2020. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  111. ^ Rawnsley, Andrew (15 November 2020). "Now that Rasputin Cummings has fallen, who will grasp control of Tsar Boris?". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 15 November 2020. Retrieved 15 November 2020.
  112. ^ Hodson, Hal; Hall, Kat (20 November 2020). "How Dominic Cummings wasted the greatest opportunity of his life". The Economist. Archived from the original on 1 December 2020. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
  113. ^ a b Stewart, Heather (26 May 2021). "UK government failed public on Covid response, says Dominic Cummings". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 26 May 2021. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
  114. ^ a b c "Key points: Dominic Cummings evidence". BBC News. 26 May 2021. Archived from the original on 27 May 2021. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
  115. ^ a b c d e "Covid: Thousands died who didn't need to die, says Dominic Cummings". BBC News. 26 May 2021. Archived from the original on 27 May 2021. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
  116. ^ "Dominic Cummings: Eight takeaways from his interview". BBC News. 20 July 2021. Archived from the original on 20 July 2021. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
  117. ^ Woodcock, Andrew (7 January 2022). "New Dominic Cummings claim of lockdown-breaching drinks party at 10 Downing Street". The Independent. Archived from the original on 9 January 2022. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
  118. ^ Sigsworth, Tim (9 May 2024). "Dominic Cummings unveils plans for new party to replace the Tories". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 11 May 2024.
  119. ^ "Dominic Cummings steps up plan to replace Tories with new party". POLITICO. 9 May 2024. Retrieved 11 May 2024.
  120. ^ Piper, Elizabeth (8 August 2019). "An archetypal rebel – how Johnson's chief adviser is driving Brexit". Reuters. Archived from the original on 8 March 2020. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
  121. ^ a b Handa, Sahil (10 August 2019). "Can Dominic Cummings Banish Nativist Populism From U.K. Politics?". Foreign Policy. Archived from the original on 4 January 2020. Retrieved 21 August 2019.
  122. ^ a b c Wright, Oliver (14 December 2019). "Dominic Cummings: Educated Remainer types failed to read mood of the country". The Times. Archived from the original on 27 December 2019. Retrieved 27 December 2019.
  123. ^ Dominic Cummings (31 January 2010). "Dominic Cummings's Blog: About Me". Archived from the original on 9 January 2019. Retrieved 9 January 2019.
  124. ^ Dale, Iain (30 September 2019). "The Top 100 Most Influential Conservatives of 2019". LBC. Archived from the original on 30 September 2019. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
  125. ^ Gillespie, Tom (25 May 2020). "Who is Dominic Cummings: A former PM branded him a 'career psychopath' – here's what you need to know about PM's top aide". Sky News. Archived from the original on 1 June 2020. Retrieved 25 May 2020.
  126. ^ Aitkenhead, Decca (20 May 2016). "Nigel Farage: 'They say I'm toxic. Quite the opposite'". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 8 June 2020. Retrieved 25 May 2020.
  127. ^ Cummings, Dominic (1 September 2021). "Regime Change #2: A plea to Silicon Valley - start a project NOW to write the plan for the next GOP candidate". Substack. Archived from the original on 6 October 2021. Retrieved 6 October 2021.
  128. ^ a b Parker, George (15 January 2020). "Dominic Cummings has 'done' Brexit. Now he plans to reinvent politics". Financial Times. Archived from the original on 26 February 2020. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
  129. ^ Komarnyckyj, Stephen (23 October 2019). "FIRTASH: How the Trump Impeachment Scandal Leads back to British Brexiters". BylineTimes.com. Archived from the original on 18 May 2020. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
  130. ^ 'Wakefield, Sir (Edward) Humphry (Tyrrell)', in Who's Who 2014 (A. & C. Black: London, 2014)
  131. ^ Rabbett, Abigail; Morley, Nicole; Sharma, Sonia (8 January 2019). "Who is Dominic Cummings? The man who drove to County Durham despite lockdown". Chronicle Live. Archived from the original on 21 January 2019. Retrieved 29 November 2023.
  132. ^ Wakefield, Mary (10 August 2019). "The reason middle-class parents are so anxious". The Spectator. Archived from the original on 8 August 2019.
  133. ^ Wakefield, Mary (8 August 2019). "Like so many parents, I'm a panic junkie". The Spectator. Archived from the original on 18 January 2022. Retrieved 24 February 2022.
  134. ^ Pike, Joe (17 August 2019). "The US fighter pilot inspiring Boris Johnson's most powerful adviser". ITV News. Archived from the original on 3 January 2020. Retrieved 21 August 2019.
  135. ^ Bennett, Asa (28 December 2018). "Brexit: The Uncivil War review: Benedict Cumberbatch is superb in this thrilling romp through the referendum". The Daily Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Archived from the original on 9 January 2019. Retrieved 8 January 2019.
  136. ^ Matthew Elliott (4 January 2019). "Vote Leave's Matthew Elliott on Channel 4's Brexit: The Uncivil War". Financial Times. Archived from the original on 9 January 2019. Retrieved 8 January 2019. Screenwriter James Graham has turned the campaign into a compelling story – and nailed my mannerisms
  137. ^ Carr, Flora (2 October 2020). "Spitting Image puppets – here's who appears in the BritBox revival". Radio Times. Archived from the original on 10 November 2020. Retrieved 8 October 2020.
  138. ^ Kemp, Ella (7 October 2020). "'Spitting Image' reboot to return for a second series". NME. Archived from the original on 10 October 2020. Retrieved 8 October 2020.
  139. ^ "Daniel Barker". PBJ Management. Archived from the original on 25 August 2022. Retrieved 25 August 2022.

Further reading

edit
edit
 
Wikiquote has quotations related to Dominic Cummings.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Dominic_Cummings&oldid=1252661363#Political_career"