Dominic Cummings has referred to his former boss Boris Johnson as a ‘trolley’ and said he only let Matt Hancock resign as Health Secretary after being pressured by his wife Carrie.

Former Downing Street aide Cummings made the comment after the Prime Minister suggested Hancock had to go for breaking social distancing rules – despite previously giving him his full backing.

The Health Secretary resigned on Saturday after being filmed kissing aide Gina Coladangelo. Both are married with three children.

Johnson had declared the matter ‘closed’, while Mr Hancock was still in post, but on a campaign visit to Batley today, he was asked whether the episode undermined the message about being ‘all in it together’.

He said: ‘That’s right, and that’s why when I saw the story on Friday we had a new Secretary of State for Health in on Saturday.’

Mr Johnson now claims that the process was ‘the right pace to proceed in a pandemic’.

Mr Cummings later tweeted: ‘Trolley Fri: Argh, accept apology I consider the matter closed.

‘Media/MP babble, 89 Carrie texts p/hour.

‘Trolley Sat, SMASH: Arghhh Matt go now you’ll be back better stronger shortly matey forward to victory!

‘Trolley Mon, CRASH: when I saw the story on Fri we had a new SoS on Sat.’

Trolley Fri: Argh, accept apology I consider the matter closed
Media/MP babble, 89 Carrie texts p/hour
Trolley Sat, SMASH: Arghhh Matt go now you’ll be back better stronger shortly matey forward to victory!
Trolley Mon, CRASH: when I saw the story on Fri we had a new SoS on Sat

A Number 10 spokesman later responded to suggestions Mr Hancock was let go following messages from Carrie Johnson, saying: ‘Obviously, as you would expect, I completely refute that.

‘You can see the actions the prime minister has taken and I’ve talked you through the discussions he had with the former health secretary after receiving his resignation.’

Mr Hancock resigned on Saturday after being offered little support by colleagues and a major public backlash.

Both the PM and the former Health Secretary had previously resisted calls for him to leave.

Downing Street said the PM had accepted Mr Hancock’s apology for breaching social distancing guidelines and ‘considers the matter closed’ on Friday and added Johnson had ‘full confidence’ in him. 

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at [email protected].For more stories like this, check our news page.

Source: Read Full Article