Brexit mastermind Dominic Cummings stepping down as advisor to the Prime Minister

Dominic Cummings, the highly influential and controversial architect of the Brexit campaign, has stepped down as special adviser to British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, a government source confirmed on Friday evening.

Read also: Brexit: still no agreement in sight between the European Union and London

The adviser was due to leave before the end of the year, but he was seen leaving Downing Street with his boxes on Friday evening, a government source confirming that he would no longer be officially employed from "

".

His departure follows that of the director of communications for 10 Downing Street and his ally in the "

"

camp

, Lee Cain, on Wednesday, a victim of the power struggle within the government.

Both represented the hard wing of the Brexiters, ready for a no-deal exit from the European Union.

Their departure comes during the home stretch of negotiations between London and Brussels in an attempt to reach an agreement on their future trade relations after December 31.

"We are moving towards a different phase"

Dominic Cummings had made many enemies, including on the Conservative side, since his appointment when Boris Johnson came to power in July 2019. He played an important role in his early December legislative victory, which won high. hand by the curator.

The considerable weight he has taken with the Prime Minister, his combative approach and his desire to want to control everything, according to the press, has led to a climate of permanent tension within the executive and the conservatives.

At loggerheads with the administration, because of his desire to reshape the public service, he is suspected of having been at the origin of a series of dismissals of ministerial assistants, accused of not defending with enough vigor the cause of Brexit.

"

," Transport Minister Grant Shapps said on Sky News on Friday morning.

"

," Brexit and the massive test rollout during the pandemic, which Cummings helped put in place, touching the mark.

"

" he added.

Restore dialogue?

These upheavals at the heart of power come as the United Kingdom and the European Union embarked on a final sprint of negotiations to try to reach a trade deal before the end of the post-Brexit transition period on December 31.

A "

" at the end of this period, during which European rules continue to apply, would involve the reestablishment of customs duties and quotas between London and the 27, potentially damaging to economies already weakened by the pandemic. .

According to The Times newspaper, Boris Johnson wishes to resume a peaceful dialogue with Conservative MPs and adopt a “

” approach to the European Union.

Some also see it as an attempt to moderate his line after the election of new US President Joe Biden, pro-European.

"

" responded a spokesman for Boris Johnson.

"

", he continued: he wants an agreement respecting "

".