Page 79 - Mark Sedwill News Today

Health Secretary Matt Hancock should have been fired over coronavirus failings and “criminal, disgraceful behaviour” on the testing target, Dominic Cummings has said. Boris Johnson’s former aide also said Whitehall’s top official recommended to the Prime Minister that Mr Hancock should be sacked. Downing Street did not deny that the Prime Minister considered sacking Mr Hancock in April last year but insisted Boris Johnson has confidence in him now, as the Health Secretary disputed the a...

Think tank says training would give ministers a "better understanding of the implications of policy options"

CABINET Office officials are said to be worried that Dominic Cummings is set to accuse Boris Johnson, his former boss, of missing key meetings on…

Why Dominic Cummings’s campaign to discredit Boris Johnson should not be taken lightly PM’s former aide desperately wanted to be The Man Who Beat Covid – his failure has been eating away at him since he was forced out of No 10 Behind the crumpled shirts, tracksuit bottoms and “critics go hang” persona of Dominic Cummings lies a man who really does care what people think of him. And most of all he wants to be seen as a winner.  Having been given huge credit – and even a Benedict Cum...

An anonymous source who gives the impression of having been close to events declares that Boris Johnson, Matt Hancock and Dominic Cummings were deliberately infected with Covid19 at a meeting of the COBRA committee on 18th March 2020, and the “spreading agent” was Imperial College modeller Neil Ferguson. The source also alleges that Sir Mark Sedwill masterminded the operation. Well now –  that’s an interesting story with which to cap the day, yes? I’m open-minded about it to be hone...

PMs standards adviser to publish Downing Street refurb probe this month Lord Geidt says he is confident his role will be robust despite being unable to trigger investigations himself Lord Geidt gave evidence to PACAC today. Screengrab: Parliament TV The prime minister’s new ethics adviser will reveal whether Boris Johnson received any donations that were used to refurbish his Downing Street flat by the end of the month, he has said. Lord Christopher Geidt, who was named as the PM’s indepen...

PM delays independent Covid inquiry until 2022 But Downing Street admits at least one internal lessons-learned probe has already completed Boris Johnson face mask Photo PA 13 May 2021 Prime minister Boris Johnson has confirmed an independent inquiry into the governments handling of the coronavirus pandemic will be established, but its work will not commence until next year. No.10 confirmed separately that at least one departmental lessons-learned review had already concluded, but insisted its f...

Dominic Cummings has nothing to lose – and knows where the bodies are buried He believes he and Boris Johnson had a pact, says one former colleague, and that the Prime Minister broke that pact 30 April 2021 • 9:00pm The twin motives driving Mr Cummings in his increasingly bitter battle with Downing Street, according to those who know him, are revenge for a perceived betrayal and a determination to avoid blame Credit: Daniel Leal-Olivas/AFP On May 25 last year, Dominic Cummings sat in the Do...

Ministers need new rules for the WhatsApp age, ex-cab secs say O’Donnell and Sedwill says ministers should not communicate with businesses and press without an official record Gus ODonnell and Mark Sedwill shared their thoughts on updating the cabinet manual. Screen grabs: Parliament TV Two former cabinet secretaries have called for new controls on ministers WhatsApp messages and other informal communications, after controversial text messages between the prime minister and the businessman J...

First published on Sun 25 Apr 2021 06.33 EDT A senior minister has insisted Boris Johnson did pay for the refurbishment of his official Downing Street flat out of his own pocket but could not confirm where he had got the money. The international trade secretary, Liz Truss, insisted Johnson paid all costs personally, and dismissed a “stream of allegations about personal issues” in the light of an incendiary blogpost by Dominic Cummings on Friday night that levelled serious claims of impropri...