Dominic Cummings launches damning attack on ‘disaster zone’ civil service

Dominic Cummings launches damning attack on ‘disaster zone’ civil service as he reveals he demanded Boris Johnson pledge Whitehall reform and ramping up of science budget as conditions for working at No10

  • Dominic Cummings has made his first public appearance since quitting No10
  • Maverick ex-aide launched attacks on Whitehall during committee evidence
  • Mr Cummings said he made series of demands of Boris Johnson to work in No10  

Dominic Cummings launched a devastating attack on the civil service today as he revealed he made Boris Johnson vow to back reform before agreeing to work in Downing Street.

The maverick former No10 chief branded Whitehall a ‘disaster zone’ and offered an extraordinary glimpse into his relationship with the PM as he gave evidence to the Science Committee.

Asked about his efforts to overhaul the UK’s science base, Mr Cummings cited Bletchley Park as an example of how bureaucracy ‘destroys’ effective operations and ‘drive out’ the best people.

He disclosed that days before Mr Johnson became PM in July 2019 they had a meeting in Mr Cummings’ living room, where he laid out a series of demands for working in No10.

Mr Cummings also confirmed that he will face a separate interrogation from MPs over the handling of coronavirus – which will raise concerns in government that he plans to settle scores.  

Dominic Cummings branded Whitehall a ‘disaster zone’ and gave an extraordinary glimpse into his relationship with the PM as he gave evidence to the Science Committee

Days before Boris Johnson became PM in July 2019, the pair had a meeting in Mr Cummings' living room, where he laid out a series of demands for working in No10

Days before Boris Johnson became PM in July 2019, the pair had a meeting in Mr Cummings’ living room, where he laid out a series of demands for working in No10

They included that Mr Johnson was ‘deadly serious’ about delivering Brexit, that the science budget was doubled, and a fundamental overhaul of the ‘disaster zone’ of Whitehall. 

Mr Cummings was being grilled by MPs over the Government’s new ‘high-risk’ scientific research agency that he championed before his dramatic departure from No 10.

Experts will be given £800million of funding to identify and fund research involving ‘high-risk, high-reward’ science and will have independence from the Government. 

But he delivered another rebuke to his former boss by saying he was ‘not confident’ whether the Advanced Research & Invention Agency (Aria) will ‘work out’ because too many restrictions were being placed on its operation. 

It is his first public appearance since quitting as Mr Johnson’s chief aide after an apparently power struggle with Mr Johnson’s fiancee Carrie Symonds sent the heart of government into meltdown.   

Chair Greg Clark kicked off by saying that Mr Cummings has agreed to a separate session covering the coronavirus response.  

The abrasive former Vote Leave director was previously found to be in contempt of Parliament for refusing to give evidence to MPs on a committee investigating misinformation.

He was last seen dramatically exiting Downing Street carrying his belongings in a cardboard box in November.

Mr Cummings’ appearance before MPs will be followed by that of Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng, who is setting up the agency.

Mr Cummings was last seen exiting Downing Street in November after a bitter power-struggle within No 10 spilled out into the open

Mr Cummings was last seen exiting Downing Street in November after a bitter power-struggle within No 10 spilled out into the open