Inside the Downing Street power struggle

Downing Street is a divided place this morning after the resignation of Lee Cain. No. 10’s Director of Communications handed in his resignation last night after a day of briefings and counter briefings between the various factions in Downing Street. The drama began after the Times ran a story on Tuesday evening suggesting the Vote Leave alumnus was in line for a promotion to Chief of Staff. That kicked off a furious briefing war with the Prime Minister’s fiancee Carrie Symonds among those to voice concerns over the move. ‘It’s like a Mexican firing squad in there,’ says a government aide. 

After a day of internal feuds spilling out into the media, Cain held a meeting with the Prime Minister on Wednesday evening where he offered his resignation and Boris Johnson accepted. Resignation statements were quickly put out – though it’s worth noting he will not actually leave the post until the end of the year.