Dominic Cummings: What led to top adviser's departure?

Image source, Reuters

Author, Laura Kuenssberg
Role, Political editor
13 November 2020

The events of the past 48 hours feel like a political explosion, with Dominic Cummings now departing from Downing Street.

But while it's tempting to see this is as a dramatic and sudden eruption, it has been a longer-term burn.

The prime minister's chief adviser stepped back somewhat from some of the brutal day-to-day politics he had helped create after the election.

He had been spending more time focusing on trying to rewire Whitehall - trying to increase the importance of science and data in government - hoping to be less involved in the moment-by-moment political rush.

But given his profile, and his nature, was that ever a realistic plan?

Since the summer, there have been conversations about shifting some of the senior roles around to make No 10 run more smoothly - including, perhaps, a total exit for Mr Cummings or a different, more specific role.

Campaigning style

But in the Conservative Party, the adviser - who is not a Tory member, which rubs party people up the wrong way in itself - has been a lightning rod for irritation for years, and he became a focus for public rage too after he ignored lockdown rules and drove to Durham.

As the government's handling of the pandemic came under increasing attack, MPs became more convinced day-by-day that there needed to be change in No 10 - with Mr Cummings at the top of the list - and they grew more determined in making that case to Boris Johnson.

Even those who reviled the PM's most senior adviser would acknowledge his strategy - forcing conflicts to win and drawing sharp divides between Leavers and Remainers - was effective.

But as soon as the prime minister had his general election majority, there were concerns that the campaigning style was just too toxic to run a Downing Street operation with different pressures.

Campaigns have to win, governments have to lead and persuade.