The play revolves around Boris Johnson’s advisers on Downing Street, not an episode of The West Wing, where Tudor’s King’s Wife conspires against her beloved. The fight for Johnson’s ear, which resigned its communications director Lee Kane on Wednesday night, is a fight against the government’s sense of political direction.
The role of Johnson’s fiance, Carrie Symonds, adds spice to the story of Cain’s downfall years later as the Prime Minister’s most loyal and effective aide. But Symonds, the former communications director of the Conservative Party, is a prolific political operator with a deep network of allies in the party and in the right-leaning media.
Cain’s problem arose when he came up with the idea of presenting daily, televised, White House – style press briefings to replace one of two daily off – camera briefings for Westminster lobby reporters. Those who stand in front of such a daily meeting will be the face of the government and the most important political figures in the country.
Johnson was chosen for his role as former Guardian and ITV news journalist Allegra Stratton, who helped the Treasury burn the image of Rishi Sunak and become the most popular member of government. Opposing the appointment, Cain sought to prevent Stratton from entering directly with the Prime Minister.
Johnson sought to weaken this column by offering Kane the position of Chief of Staff, with the support of Chief Adviser Dominic Cummings to ensure that his vote leave crew would remain in control of the Downing Street operation.
There are reports that Cain is going to get a job from Conservative MPs who are angry with the dominance of Cumming and his allies. Symonds opposed the appointment in favor of a shift from the fighting style used by Cain, which was abbreviated aggressively against ministers and MPs. Johnson later canceled the offer.
Increasing ulation rights
While Johnson seems to have defied Cumming on two appointments, Stratton and Cain, the ulation rights deals grew over the chief adviser’s own future. Cummings and his vote-leave crew are loyal to Johnson, the government or the Conservative Party.
Cummings and Brexit adviser Oliver Lewis have reportedly threatened to resign during a week – long talks on a post – Brexit trade deal with the European Union. There were even reports that David Frost, Britain’s leading negotiator in the EU negotiations, was leaving the post because of his loyalty to Cain, but D’Amning Street quickly dismissed them.
Cummings remains in his place now, but his grip on Downing Street activity is weakening, and a new faction around Johnson is pushing him away from the national popularity of the vote holiday campaign.
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