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United Kingdom: Boris Johnson's gray eminence in turmoil

2020-05-24T17:30:38.894Z


The British Prime Minister vigorously defended Dominic Cummings on Sunday. His advisor, struck by the coronavirus, did not respect the confinement.


We knew the essential man in Boris Johnson's device. But the vigor with which the Prime Minister defends Dominic Cummings shows how essential he is to him, essential even to govern. Pressure continues to mount to demand the departure of his main adviser, accused of having broken the confinement rules. But Boris Johnson said Sunday evening that Cummings had behaved with " responsibility and integrity ". He refuses to " throw it to the dogs ", as he had confided to his relatives.

Revelations from the British press ignited the powder on Friday evening. The case dates back to the end of March. According to The Daily Mirror and The Guardian , Dominic Cummings then left his London home to go to his seventy-year-old parents in Durham, in the north-east of England, when he had symptoms of coronavirus. A 400-kilometer trip, in full containment. Outside his home in north London, the special adviser told reporters that he had behaved "in a reasonable and legal manner". "Who cares about appearances? He said, " what matters is doing what is right ..."

Counterfires

Downing Street strove all weekend to light fires and exposed " false allegations from militant newspapers ." A spokesperson assured that Cummings had not broken the rules, but had needed help for the care of his son. " He followed every father's instinct," said Boris Johnson. However, the police should have issued a rules reminder on March 31. And new information came to undermine government defense on Sunday. According to the same newspapers, Cummings was seen again in Durham on April 19, five days after his return to London, to return to work after his recovery. He was also said to have been seen on April 12, Easter Sunday, at Barnard Castle, some 50 kilometers from Durham.

The opposition immediately demanded an investigation. " The British people do not expect that there will be one law for themselves and another for Dominic Cummings, " said a Labor spokesperson. Scottish separatist leader in Westminster, Ian Blackford said he had to ' resign or be fired '. More annoying for the government, a number of Conservative MPs joined this call for resignation, which influenced Steve Baker. " It is certainly not essential ," said this hard Brexiter on Sky News, " I think it's the end of the road."

Brutality, arrogance and manipulation

Dominic Cummings has long been a controversial figure. Omnipotent, the real strongman of the Johnson team is reputed to be the one who pulls all the strings in the shadows. For his detractors, he is the evil genius of " BoJo ". Even in the conservative ranks, people castigate his excessive authoritarianism, his brutality, his arrogance and his taste for manipulation. Considered as a political adventurer, a bit anarchist, " Dom " likes to break the codes and shake up the " system ". Nicknamed the " cardinal of Brexit ", this 48 year old man is the inventor of the slogan " Take back control ", and the architect of the victory of the supporters of the divorce with the EU in the referendum of 2016. It was again he who found the winning formula for last December's election, " Get Brexit done " ("Let's achieve Brexit"). In February, he caused the departure of the Minister of Finance, Sajid Javid, by de facto taking control of the Treasury.

His departure would be a hard blow for Boris Johnson, as Cummings is the great organizer of his political strategy. But for the Prime Minister, in this context of efforts requested from the British, it is not so easy to " regain control " of the situation.

Source: lefigaro

All news articles on 2020-05-24

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