Forum Topic

Dominic Cummings

Is leaving!,,Hurray.

Micki Hawkes ● 2176d45 Comments

It’s leaving, Hurray indeed. Let us hope this is followed by the chief stooge though not sure which other stooges in the Conservative party will take over, they are all bl@@dy useless. Thanks lads for getting us in a right old mess, hope you rot in hell for the misery you will bring onto this country.

James Smith-Jones ● 2176d

Needs a return to Cabinet government, as Fraser Nelson argues in the Speccy“...Cabinet government is the only way to run government in the British system. So Boris needs to find talented politicians who he trusts, and leaves them to do their thing – rather than infantilise them with a powerful centre that takes decisions for them. The idea of a power triangle – a merged No. 10, Treasury and Cabinet Office calling all the shots – won’t work. I’m also sceptical about the idea that government can be rewired and made to work with Silicon Valley efficiency. ‘The methods of government would bankrupt most private companies’: those words were true when John Buchan wrote them in 1904 and remain true now. The conservative way – to be realistic about how efficient government can ever be – means limiting the power of government and maximising the power of individuals, families and communities. This is also the liberal way.“And dump Gilligan pdq.

Russell Pearson ● 2176d

I think it is excellent news that the Prime Minister Dominic Cummings is stepping down to be replaced by Carrie Symonds.

Francis Rowe ● 2176d

Unfortunately he is staying just long enough to ensure his mission is complete.... and that we have a NO DEAL BREXIT

Richard Potts ● 2176d

Apart from him going on a car trip cant say i ever really noticed him.And on that basis cant say i will miss him or not either.Clearly many back bench tory MPs were not happy so maybe he was responsible, but for exactly what we may now find out in time rather than everything being the work of cummings which was the twitter finger pointing of many.

Julian Pavey ● 2176d

A typically restrained post full of moderate language from Poor Jimmy Jimmy. On the bright side, for once there were no toilet references.

Richard Greenhough ● 2176d

Dominic vobiscum (and you're welcome to him!).

Colin Jordan ● 2176d

Gone!

Philippa Bond ● 2176d

Advisors are one thing - but if the people we elect to parliament to represent us and who have stood for election haven't a clue what they stand for and what they consider to be in the best interests of the country, then they have no right to be there, relying on unelected individuals with their own personal agendas is not acceptable. After all who are they accountable to?

Vanessa Smith ● 2176d

I am no fan of him or his party but sometimes a maverick is needed to shake things up for a while and to give some relying on the old boys' network some squeaky bum time.He had one good idea that I know of,to get 'rich remainers' to get out of London and have a look around.

Keith Iddon ● 2175d

Do grow up Dick, unless you have something positive to add stop your nonsense man. The forum has been in a nice place of late, so let us try a keep it that way hey.

James Smith-Jones ● 2175d

What I find extraordinary about this whole episode is senior tory members coming out today saying they are delighted he has gone because he had too much power, well, a bit late now. We are undoubtedly seeing the start of the downfall of the worst PM in living memory, thank God.

James Smith-Jones ● 2175d

The way to undermine the privileged and connected tier is not by unaccountable “mavericks”. It is by legislation and taxation. And broad based political change. Cummings was a blip. Well rid. Not a force for change, certainly not for the better.

Alan Clark ● 2175d

Oh I don't know, he certainly had some of those cossetted  old boys in the civil service harrumphing a bit.

Keith Iddon ● 2175d

It’s a tricky balance. There are many “old boys” in the civil service who have and continue to serve the country well. Regardless of the colour of the government. Equally there are no doubt duffers. Meanwhile the test & trace “department” is what, 60% (who knows?), private company consultants. And that bunch are not yet serving the country well. But you know the libertarian mantra: private good, public bad. Keep at it.

Alan Clark ● 2175d

I don't for one minute believe that, but it sometimes does no harm to shake things up a bit.Complacency breeds complacency.

Keith Iddon ● 2175d

I’m deeply unconvinced by the concept that making business or organisational changes (to shake things up) are a functioning way to improve performance. Where is the evidence that such shake up changes are effective? I’d have thought that the likely confusion that results does the opposite effect. It sounds too much like 1980’s macho management consultant thinking.

Alan Clark ● 2175d

Don't celebrate too soon, remember Boris may still have plenty of time to take the rest of us down in the wake of his downfall which, in any case may not happen for months or even years.

Micki Hawkes ● 2175d

Mark 3:24-26 If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand.

Anne England ● 2175d

Cummings will be up to something. Why on earth was he allowed to leave via the front door? And now it’s being claimed as a ‘reset’ of the Conservative party. Johnson appointed Cummings. Johnson is still in charge. Not much of a reset there. And now his girlfriend seems to be holding sway - previously  sacked from her job over expenses.

Stewart Jones ● 2175d

It just keeps coming back from the grimy depths.

Richard Greenhough ● 2175d

MH > "Hurray."I can't really get that excited.Remember that Theresa May's two closest advisers, Nick Timothy and Fiona Hill, quit in June 2017. There wasn't any noticeable improvement in the government's performance.

John Whitworth ● 2175d

A shake up makes some people have a look at themselves and where they sit in an organisation, how they do their job, where they can improve and what practises can be stopped and which ones implemented. Those already doing a good and productive job have nothing to worry about,in fact they might benefit as carrying dead wood at work gets to be a burden.

Keith Iddon ● 2175d

Poor Dick troll , nothing constructive to add to the discussion as per usual. Very sad.

James Smith-Jones ● 2175d

You will remember that there was a general election in June 2017. Largely as a result of the advice given by 'Tim and Fiona' on how to run the campaign TM the PM lost her slim overall majority. Trying to govern in such a boxed in situation TM's administration was hardly likely to show any "noticeable improvement in the government's performance".

Cllr Sam Hearn ● 2175d

Cllr SH > "Trying to govern in such a boxed in situation..."Being boxed in excuses poor performance?Anyway, TM's biggest problems came from her own side so a majority, slim or otherwise, was not the main issue.And now it could get even more difficult as the large Tory parliamentary majority allowed by our unrepresentative democracy is splintering into factions. Aping the European Research Group (ERG) we now have the Northern Research Group (NRG), the Covid Recovery Group (CRG) and the Common Sense Group (CSG).

John Whitworth ● 2174d

Can we be sure Carrie Symonds had that big a say? Could just be the press. Allegra Stratton, a Chiswick girl in her youth, is also supposed to have been involved, why just mention CS?

Maggie Dodge ● 2174d

The one new fact that I have learnt through reading about the Cummings/Cain departures is that there are apparently around a 100 SPAD (Special Advisor) appointees like them currently on HMG payroll?The belief that such a number are needed fills me with a simple concern as to the overall impact on the Civil Service’s role and Ministers really managing their portfolios.

Joe Conneely ● 2173d

A) is this a coup taking place,Boris is in fact under house arrest? B) Boris cannot get a trade deal done with EU or USA not forgetting Zimbabwe, so blame it on the virus? C) Boris been caught sleeping with someone else in No10 and Carry! threatening to chop off his little finger! D) Boris just fancies a couple of duvet days as he is fed up like the rest of us? E)  Carry just found out Jennifer Arcuri replacing Dom as "special advisor"? F) Boris purposely not followed the social distancing rules and now going into isolation for 10 days and decides to resign and hospital pass the prime ministership to someone else?

James Smith-Jones ● 2173d

Poor Jimmy Jimmy, nothing constructive to add to the discussion as per usual. Very sad.

Richard Greenhough ● 2173d

Think i will need to take out a restraining order. So what exactly have you added to the discussion Dick other than making a complete tool of yourself?

James Smith-Jones ● 2173d

And what a bore you are with your constant Poor Jimmy Jimmy etc - not the only one, granted, but the whole thing is extremely tedious.TW8 doesn't have half the 'traffic' of W4 but I've never seen it sink to the sometime lows of W4 - name calling, pettiness, an unwillingness to let go and so on and very largely down to the same few people.

Anne England ● 2173d

Well said Anne.  RG is the last person who should be accusing any other poster of being boring.

Alastair Banton ● 2173d

The Daily Star headline summed it nicely for me;TAKE YOUR CARDBOARD BOX AND SOD OFF!I only wish a few others would do the same.

Adrian Irving ● 2172d

Methinks Boris is a dead man walking and only a matter of time before he is seen leaving with his cardboard box. Give it until after Christmas.

James Smith-Jones ● 2172d

Jimmy, how many of your political predictions have actually come true?You were the one who thought a local councillor and an MP were the same role of course

Paul Fisher ● 2172d

It is, however, possible to hold the position of Councillor and MP at the same time.

Anne England ● 2172d

Indeed it is and I believe that Ruth Cadbury did for a very short while but I am sure you will agree they are completely different roles except in a certain persons mind

Paul Fisher ● 2172d

Dom would like his legacy to be the creation of the UK's ARPA:https://www.wired.co.uk/article/dominic-cummings-british-darpaAnd not Barnard Castle :-)

Ed Saper ● 2172d

I saw this and was very unimpressed. The notion of Arpa (or Darpa as it now in the US) seems completely out of date and out of step with today’s technology and innovation. The US Arpa was set up in the late 50’s and had many successes, and many dead end investment ideas. Arguably though it was responsible for the US’s early lead in IT technology. But that was 60’s and 70’s research. Today it is a very different landscape with technology offices in most universities and private investment firms actively following and investing in innovations. It also seems strange for a ‘small government’ thinker to be promoting a new central government role to direct and shape future research. The government’s record in innovation or investment is pretty poor – surely this is best done by the right scientific thinkers (in the universities) and the right commercially minded people (in investment firms). At best a UK Arpa would simply run parallel to these existing capabilities. At worse it would interfere and confuse.Here is a thought, would a potentially phenomenal commercial success like graphene have been developed and brought to the market by a UK Arpa? I doubt it. I’m no fan of Cummings and here it seems that he is simply demonstrating that he is the wrong man, with the wrong ideas, at the wrong time. Going about things in the wrong way.

Alan Clark ● 2172d

Another pointless post by our resident Fish, someone let him out of his fish bowl!

James Smith-Jones ● 2172d

Home from school Jimbo? Get your homework done and you can watch a bit of tv

Paul Fisher ● 2172d

you still watching jackanory along with your other wrister friends?

James Smith-Jones ● 2172d

A return to the grubby depths.

Richard Greenhough ● 2171d

Dick stalker alert

James Smith-Jones ● 2171d