The big Shake-up
So Dominic Cummings has left Downing Street. The man who ran the Conservative Party’s aggressive pro-Leave campaign, was reportedly asked to leave, curiously enough, as showdown talks continue with the European Union. Cummings’ departure also comes at the heels of another significant exit from the Prime Minister’s office, that of Lee Cain, director of communications. Cain is another pro-Brexit hardliner, who was sacked a couple of days before Cummings’ left. The timing is certainly interesting.
Cummings is also said to be close to lead Brexit negotiater David Frost, although he reportedly issued a ‘veiled threat’ to the EU claiming that Cummings’ departure changes nothing. Boris Johnson himself is staunchly pro-Brexit, so it’s unlikely that there could be any change in that arena. However, Cummings’ departure has raised rumours that a big reset is in the offing, inside Downing Street. The shake-up however seems to have been put off for now, after we learnt that Boris Johnson had to self-isolate following exposure to a Covid-19 positive case.
So what does this mean for the short term. On Kay Burley’s show, Business Secretary Alok Sharma said that talks were progressing well. Despite Frost’s assertions, the loss of two hardline pro-leave campaigners could indicate a policy shift when it comes to Brexit. It could also mean that a more aggressive approach might be taken to deal with the coronavirus pandemic. But what it indicates very strongly, is that a power struggle is ensuing inside Downing Street. Carrie Symonds, it is believed, played a role in the sacking of Cummings and Cain, and in many quarters it is believed that she has a better grasp of Conservative Party objectives than the Prime Minister himself.
A number of events could take place over the upcoming weeks that could influence the rest of Johnson’s term. The Cummings’ exit seems like the tip of the iceberg. A House-of-Cards-esque situation could play out as well, with the person holding the reigns at the end of it possibly dictating how the UK navigates a post-Brexit reality. Stay tuned.