Downing Street has hit back in its war with Dominic Cummings, after the former aide published an explosive blog post about leaks and ‘possibly illegal’ plans to renovate the Prime Minister’s flat using donations. A No. 10 spokesperson this evening said:
‘This government is entirely focused on fighting coronavirus, delivering vaccines and building back better.’
And then on the allegations Cummings made about the renovation of the flat:
The kindest interpretation is that this is the Prime Minister’s preferred way of working
‘At all times, the Government and Ministers have acted in accordance with the appropriate codes of conduct and electoral law. Cabinet Office officials have been engaged and informed throughout and official advice has been followed. All reportable donations are transparently declared and published – either by the Electoral Commission or the House of Commons registrar, in line with the requirements set out in electoral law. Gifts and benefits received in a ministerial capacity are, and will continue to be, declared in transparency returns.’
The spokesperson also issued this carefully worded line on Cummings’s claim that Boris Johnson dropped the ‘chatty rat’ investigation into the leaked plans for a second lockdown after he began to believe the leaker was Henry Newman, a close friend of his fiancée Carrie Symonds:
‘The PM has never interfered in a government leak inquiry.
Comments
Join the debate for just $5 for 3 months
Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first three months for $5.
UNLOCK ACCESS Just $5 for 3 monthsAlready a subscriber? Log in