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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Comment
Hugh Muir

Sunak, Johnson, Cameron, Truss – and Cummings in the frame again. This inept elite is playing us all for fools

Dominic Cummings and Rishi Sunak.
Dominic Cummings and Rishi Sunak. ‘Sunak takes these liberties because he assumes a resignation and a docility on the part of his fellow citizens.’ Composite: Getty; Shutterstock

What do we think of Rishi Sunak as he stares into the electoral abyss? What do we think he would do to save himself and perhaps the Tories? What do we think he wouldn’t do? Before you answer those questions, consider the revelation that the prime minister, the man who said he would again conduct British politics on a decent, competent level after years of disarray and chaos, held private talks in December 2022 and more in July with Dominic Cummings.

The purpose, says Cummings – former chief adviser and svengali to the circus show that was Boris Johnson’s chaotically and fatally incompetent government – was to plot a return to frontline politics, this time as the clandestine master/servant to Sunak in the run-up to the election. Not so, No 10 told the Sunday Telegraph. It was just “a broad discussion about politics and campaigning, no job was offered.” And for reasons that are also disputed, nothing came of it.

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