The favourite Brexiteer slogan was “Take Back Control”. No one promoted it more actively than Dominic Cummings, chief advisor to Boris Johnson. Now it is clear that he meant this control to be exercised by himself. Increasingly we see that he, not MPs, not ministers, not even the Prime Minister decides policy, or makes appointments and public statements. This Lord of No 10 has recruited a pack of advisors whom he has spread across Whitehall to ensure that his will is done. No laws or rules apply to him. The Prime Minister seems unwilling or unable to rein him in as he openly assumes the powers of a dictator, removing the checks and balances in his way.
Over the next weeks, we will examine Cummings’ record in detail and look into his intentions and motives.
CUMMINGS The man who spent 3 years in Russia has a) decided that Positive Vetting (which gives individuals different levels of security clearance) should be moved from the Ministry of Defence to the Cabinet Office, and b) commenced dismantling the Army (starting with the Army Air Corps’ HQ).