Dominic Cummings’ allegations were ‘pure drama’ says Archer
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Once the most trusted and senior of the PM’s advisors, Dominic Cummings, 49, has had a bumpy fall from grace. Mr Cummings was called to give evidence to the health and science joint committee investigating the government’s response to the pandemic.
Since his removal from Downing Street in November last year, Mr Cummings has posted more than 60 tweets condemning the government’s handling of the pandemic.
The stage was set for Mr Cummings to deliver a scathing attack against the government – he didn’t hold back.
Mr Cummings said the government had failed the public.
He said: “Tens of thousands of people died, who didn’t need to die.”
He added: “When the public needed us most the government failed.”
Mr Cummings then apologised on behalf of ministers and advisors for falling “disastrously short of the standards that the public had a right to expect”.
Among the damaging bombshells dropped were Mr Cummings’ claims that the virus was not taken seriously enough at the start of the pandemic.
When the virus first appeared in the UK in January and February 2020 he said: “Lots of key people were literally skiing.”
He painted a chaotic picture of Downing Street during the early days of the pandemic.
He vividly described a day in Downing Street in March 2020 when the government were toying with the idea of imposing a national lockdown whilst considering a bombing campaign against Iraq at the same time.
He said it was “crazy”, the US President Donald Trump wanted the UK to join a bombing campaign against Iraq that night, which derailed any discussions over the virus.
At the same time he said: “the Prime Minister’s girlfriend was going completely crackers” over a story about her dog, Dilyn, in the press.
Mr Cummings said that for too long the government stuck by the idea of herd immunity, that chicken pox style parties were even suggested as late as March 2020.
Mr Cummings’ most serious allegations, however, were reserved for the Prime Minister and the Health Secretary, Matt Hancock.
On the Prime Minister, Mr Cummings said that Boris Johnson initially dismissed the virus as “just a scare story”.
He confirmed reports that Mr Johnson said he would rather see “bodies pile high than order a third lockdown”.
Mr Cummings was most critical of Mr Hancock who he said: “should have been fired for at least 15 to 20 things.”
He accused the Health Secretary of repeatedly lying and misleading advisors as well as the public.
Mr Cummings said that the only reason Mr Johnson refused to sack Mr Hancock was because he felt he would be a useful fall guy in any future public inquiries.
Mr Hancock is due to appear before the commons later this morning to address Mr Cummings’ accusations.
Mr Cummings’ repeatedly expressed his regret that he did not urge the Prime Minister to lock down sooner.
He said: “I bitterly regret that I didn’t hit the emergency panic button earlier than I did.”
Downing Street is said to be deeply concerned about Mr Cummings’ accusations who has threatened that there is still more to come.
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