Should I stay or should I go?

It has been a horrible few days for Number 10 Downing Street. A certain Dominic Cummings has flouted the social distance rules of the government he advises as arguably the most significant non-civil servant, non-political actor inside the machinery. Mr Cummings does not have too many supporters outside the inner circle of number 10. Some with longer memories recall the havoc he caused at the Department of Education advising Michael Gove, who did everything he could turn off headteachers, introduce privatisation through the back door through the academy system, all the while being the invisible figure behind the decision to investigate 21 schools in the city of Birmingham concerning a plot to Islamise young children and all manner of their schooling. The plot allegations were found to have been entirely fabricated, but not after it deeply affected the lives of thousands of young people, their parents and numerous teachers. Two years later, at the helm of the infamous Brexit campaign, Mr Cummings’s nefarious tools helped to swing a referendum of such immense proportions based on lies, misdirection and falsehoods galore. His role in preparing three-words slogans continues, with the ‘Get Brexit Done’ mantra being the only reason that the hapless Boris Johnson is now Prime Minister. In inviting candidates to join him at the centre of power to deliver a range of policy-orientated solutions, one person taking up the role was found to have strictly regressive views relating to population control bordering on Eugenicism — the pseudo-science of hate, indifference and pure selfishness.

All this is historical context as the urgent present issue is how the government has dealt with the COVID-19 pandemic. From the herd immunity doctrine to sitting in on Sage meetings, to ensuring associates in business are ahead of the line in obtaining lucrative contracts to deliver crucial services during a national crisis but without recourse to standard contracting procedures, Mr Cummings’ name is never far from the headlines. Now, he is at the centre of another political storm. It turns out that he made two visits to Durham, driving the 256-mile journey on two separate occasions at the height of the lockdown intensity, and all based on dubious claims relating to the need to find childcare after he and his partner both exhibited covid-19-related symptoms. He did so knowing clearly and well the rules regarding self-isolation, social distancing and the need to maintain strict discipline at an unprecedented time in history. He chose to flout the rules while millions of Britons have stayed at home, while potentially 40,000 people have died, if not more. Tens of thousands of people are mourning their lost ones, unable to visit and support family members of the bereaved, prevented from carrying out any kind of funeral. They have endured in silence, knowing of the dangers of this ghostly, invisible killer.

Yesterday, the Twitterati were up in arms, calling for his blood. Ten ministers of state publically declared their support for him while an equal number remained silent, including the prime minister. Today is the day of reckoning. Should Mr Cummings be sacked it will mean the chief architect of this government, someone who has carte blanche authority over the workings of all cultural policy development, will leave a tremendous hole in the strategic direction that Boris Johnson et al have been taking. If he goes, things will only change for the better as the civil service will be allowed to do its job, ministers will not be fearful of the knife should they fall out of line and the public will be able to hold the government to account that much more freely. If he stays, or rather, Mr Johnson is unable to sack him, this government will remain damaged, possibly beyond repair. Should he stay or should he go, Mr Cumming’s reputation and that of senior politicians like Mr Johnson and Mr Gove will be dragged further into the mire. Either way, Mr Cummings’ sheer arrogance and entitlement, so much at the heart of his mojo, will have arguably led to the downfall of this government.