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According to Dominic Cummings, he and Rishi Sunak had confidential discussions while the Prime Minister was contemplating rehiring him for the upcoming general election.
The Prime Minister allegedly sought guidance from Boris Johnson’s former top advisor on how to gain public support while pursuing a covert agreement with Mr. Cummings to secure a victory for the Conservative party over Labour in the 2024 election.
The Labour and Liberal Democrats criticized Mr Sunak for being “weak and desperate” in his efforts to secretly persuade Mr Cummings to return to No 10.
The leader of the Conservative party, whose party is currently not as popular as the Labour party according to polls, reportedly opted out of the proposed plan after two meetings and following a list of requests from Mr. Cummings regarding government priorities.
According to the Sunday Times, Mr Cummings advised Mr Sunak to change his careful economic strategy, have an urgent budget, resolve the NHS strikes, and increase the income threshold for the 40p tax rate from £50,271 to £100,000.
According to reports, he supported including withdrawal from the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) as a component of the deportation plan for Rwanda.
Number 10 has not refuted Mr. Cummings’ statement about undisclosed meetings in July and December of 2022, but stated that no job offer was extended.
According to a source from Downing Street, there was a wide-ranging conversation about politics and campaigning, but no job was offered.
Dominic Cummings revealed Mr Sunak’s offer of a ‘secret deal’
The individual who directed the Vote Leave campaign and contributed to the Conservative party’s significant victory in 2019 is known as one of the most contentious advisors in the history of No 10. However, they surprisingly departed in the fall of 2020 following a clash of power with then-Prime Minister Mr. Johnson.
The two individuals reportedly first encountered each other in July of last year in North Yorkshire, and then reconnected in London in December, accompanied by Mr. Sunak’s head of staff, Liam Booth-Smith.
The gatherings were kept so secretive that even a few of Mr Sunak’s closest associates were seemingly unaware.
According to Mr. Cummings, the individual in question desired a clandestine agreement in which I ensured the election’s outcome, and they vowed to treat their role in government with gravity following the election.
“I would prefer for the Tories to be defeated rather than remaining in power and neglecting the needs of both the public and the voters.”
The Tories after 2016 can be described as Sunak and Johnson’s unwillingness to prioritize governing. They both believed their fellow MPs shared their views, and they were correct.
The polls show that Rishi Sunak’s party is currently behind Labour.
Based on Mr Cummings’ report, Mr Sunak allegedly instructed the strategist to keep their involvement secret, as he predicted that both MPs and the media would react strongly.
The ex-staff member stated that he would only assist if Mr Sunak promised to focus on the most crucial matters. These include nuclear weapons infrastructure, pandemics, Ministry of Defence procurement, artificial intelligence (AI), and fixing essential government institutions.
Mr Cummings said he was “only prepared to build a political machine to smash Labour” if the PM would commit to things “we started fixing in 2020 but Boris abandoned”.
After the report was released, Mr. Cummings wrote on X, previously known as Twitter: “I am unsure why someone at No10 leaked this information, but…”
“Summary of the Times article regarding the PM’s request for me to defeat Labour and secure the election. Also mentioning what I requested in exchange (such as resolving issues with our nuclear weapons infrastructure and pandemic defenses) and the reasons why we were unable to come to an agreement.”
Dominic Cummings
Boris Johnson, the previous prime minister, is seen in a photograph with his former chief advisor, Dominic Cummings.
The Liberal Democrats have requested a formal investigation by the Cabinet Office to determine if Mr. Sunak violated the ministerial code by not disclosing his meetings with Mr. Cummings.
The group referenced Mr Sunak’s disclosure forms, which did not list the meetings, and called for an investigation into whether the talks were reported to the Cabinet Office as mandated by the code.
Wendy Chamberlain, chief whip of the Liberal Democrats, stated that the covert efforts to reinstate Cummings must be thoroughly examined, and that it is imperative to understand why these meetings were not properly disclosed.
A representative from the government stated that meetings with private individuals to discuss political matters do not have to be disclosed, as per the rules outlined in the ministerial code.
It came as a video re-emerged showing Mr Sunak claiming during the summer Tory leadership contest that Mr Cummings would have “absolutely nothing to do with any government that I am privileged to lead”.
David Lammy, the shadow foreign secretary for Labour, raised concerns about Mr Sunak’s decision to hold undisclosed meetings with “this repulsive person who has caused significant turmoil in our country.”
The frontbencher stated on his LBC show: “One would assume he would have gained some insight from his previous error in judgment regarding Suella Braverman.”
The Labour party also stated that this disclosure highlights Mr. Sunak’s lack of new ideas and dependence on past Tory policies.
The Shadow Paymaster General, Jonathan Ashworth, stated that the prime minister has gone back on his promise to bring honesty to Downing Street by secretly asking Mr. Barnard Castle to take charge once again. This shows that from Cameron to Cummings, the prime minister is acknowledging his lack of creativity and weakness in coming up with original ideas.
A representative from the Liberal Democrats stated: “This is a desperate action by a desperate leader. Seeking guidance from someone who played a key role in another unsuccessful Conservative government only emphasizes this.”
Nadine Dorries, a staunch supporter of Arch Boris Johnson, accused Mr. Sunak of being a “recorded liar” for consistently denying any contact with Cummings.
In July 2019, Mr Cummings became Mr Johnson’s main advisor and is often recognized for his role in securing the victory of the 2019 national election. However, he departed the following year due to a highly publicized disagreement with Mr Johnson.
He eventually confessed to actively trying to end the prime minister’s term. He also became involved in a scandal after it was revealed that he had driven from London to County Durham during the strict lockdown period.
Source: independent.co.uk
