By Tony O’Reilly-
Minister Sajid Javid today shed light on an “unusual” decision-making structure in Downing Street in early 2020, during the pandemic, as he highlighted a distinct pattern where requests and decisions were often made from Boris Johnson’s office without the then Prime Minister’s knowledge.
Under questioning by inquiry counsel Joanne Cecil, Javid spoke about Dominic Cummings, then Chief Adviser to Boris Johnson, and his perceived role.
Javid stated that Cummings seemed to “act as a prime minister in all but name” during that time, as he offered some insight into the dynamics of decision-making at the highest levels of government.
Javid’s testimony outlined a peculiar situation where his private office received numerous requests from the Prime Minister’s office or No 10, but upon further investigation, it became apparent that many of these requests were not originating from Boris Johnson, but rather from Dominic Cummings.
Boris Johnson was allegedly unaware of requests made from his office
“These requests might be anything from a request for information, request for detail, but also for policy change, or policy preference,” Javid explained. “On probing further, they would be coming from Mr. Cummings,” he added.
Javid recounted an instance during his work on the Budget in January and February 2020 when he received numerous requests related to the budget, which, upon investigation, were traced directly to Cummings and not the Prime Minister.
The former Chancellor expressed his surprise at this unusual dynamic, stating that it deviated from his expectations based on prior experience in government.
Dominic Cummings is believed to have been calling shots during pandemic: House of Commons/PA Wire/PA Image
In his written statement to the inquiry, Javid expressed a broader goal at the time to “centralize power in Number 10 with a preference for loyalty over experience.” He argued that the inexperienced Cabinet at the start of the pandemic was intentionally designed to give Dominic Cummings significant power over decision-making processes.
Javid, who resigned as Chancellor on February 13, 2020, emphasized that such arrangements often excluded ministers from decision-making, and he felt that key decisions were being made by Cummings rather than the Prime Minister, a departure from his experience under previous administrations.
Former Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab contradiction of Javid’s claims during his own testimony, insisting that Boris Johnson was indeed in charge of the government during the pandemic leaves it to the court of public opinion who in fact was in charge as far as practical impact was concerned.
Raab dismissed the notion that Cummings oversaw decision-making, stating, “There is a whole circus that can be built up in the media and elsewhere around the internal battles between individuals, and some of that is natural and healthy.”
Johnson is himself yet to give evidence in an inquiry that is attracting enough interest, not just in the the Uk, but also abroad.