, Columnist
With Cummings Gone, Johnson Has a Perfect Chance to Do Things Better
The sudden departure of the prime minister’s top adviser is an opportunity to improve Downing Street’s competence.
A hard exit.
Photographer: DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS/AFPThis article is for subscribers only.
The U.K. passed the grim number of 50,000 Covid deaths this week, as the country entered its critical final phase of trade talks with the European Union. One might think this is a terrible time for an overhaul of Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s senior advisory team. But the status quo was becoming unviable.
Dominic Cummings, the awkward disrupter and arch-Brexiter who’s been a pivotal figure in recent British history, is stepping down as Johnson’s senior aide, following Thursday’s resignation of No. 10’s communications chief Lee Cain.