‘Private discussion’ had but no job offer made to Dominic Cummings – Downing Street
No job offer was made to Dominic Cummings during a meeting with Rishi Sunak, Downing Street has said.
The former Vote Leave campaign director previously claimed the Prime Minister had sought a “secret deal” with him in a bid to win next year’s election.
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said a “private political discussion” had taken place, but Mr Cummings was not offered a job.
The pair were said to have spoken in London in December 2022 and again over dinner in North Yorkshire in July, in meetings kept secret from some of Mr Sunak’s closest allies.
Mr Cummings told the Sunday Times he was only prepared to offer his help if Mr Sunak would commit to prioritising the “most critical things”, citing nuclear weapons infrastructure, future pandemics, Ministry of Defence procurement, artificial intelligence (AI) and “broken core Government institutions”.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Mr Sunak’s spokesman said: “It was a political meeting, I wouldn’t have any more details than that, I think they (special advisers) have been clear there wasn’t a job offer made.”
He added: “This is a private political discussion, I think my political colleagues have made clear it was about politics and campaigning, I can only point you to that detail.
“Those sorts of discussions are not required to be disclosed, I think the only exception is for senior media executives.”
Mr Cummings told the paper: “He wanted a secret deal in which I delivered the election and he promised to take Government seriously after the election.
“But I’d rather the Tories lose than continue in office without prioritising what’s important and the voters.
“The post-2016 Tories are summed up by the fact that Sunak, like Johnson, would rather lose than take Government seriously. Both thought their MPs agreed with them, and both were right.”
Labour’s shadow paymaster general Jonathan Ashworth said: “After promising to restore integrity to Downing Street, he’s secretly begging Mr Barnard Castle to run Downing Street again.
“From Cameron to Cummings, the Prime Minister is admitting he’s out of ideas and too weak to come up with his own.”
Press Association – Rhiannon James