‘Brexit: The Uncivil War’ will please both Leavers and Remainers

It starts with a balding weirdo locked in a cupboard ranting about mythological abstractions. This is Dominic Cummings, the key figure in Channel 4’s Brexit film, The Uncivil War, and the opening scene is designed to overcome a major hurdle. How to make the audience – half of whom loathe Brexit – feel sympathy for the man credited with making it happen. Trapping him in a neon-lit cell with only his thoughts for company turns him into a tormented martyr.

Next we see him being sized up as a potential director of the Leave campaign. Deep in his guts he loathes politicians – and the entire Westminster establishment – especially David Cameron and his communications chief, Craig Oliver. ‘A position,’ says Cummings, ‘held by a long history of bastards.’ Cummings in turn is hated by Conservative grandees. ‘He’s mental,’ says Craig Oliver. ‘An egoist with a wrecking ball’.

A man detested by senior Tories can’t be all bad.

Velvety-voiced Benedict Cumberbatch offers a memorably brilliant portrait of Cummings.