UK PM Sunak at centre of Tory breakdown over 'secret election talks' with Dominic Cummings
File photo of British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
The British Conservative lawmakers reportedly expressed anger and alarm over reports that Prime Minister Rishi Sunak offered Boris Johnson's former chief aide Dominic Cummings a secret deal to help him win the elections.
According to a report in The Guardian, one Conservative MP said that Cummings should have "no place in political life".
Another reportedly likened it to letting "an arsonist into your home".
Sunak met Cummings twice inside 10, Downing Street
Downing Street has not denied Sunak met Cummings twice for discussions. They, however, rejected Cummings’s assertion that this involved a job offer, saying the prime minister simply had "a broad discussion" with him.
)
Xi Jinping's new AI bloc: China launches 'World AI Body' with Pakistan and Russia in, India out
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Why the S-400 uses solid rocket fuel instead of liquid fuel
)
CORTIS' first-ever concert sparks backlash over repeated songs and short setlist
)
Explained: Why Rodri won the FIFA World Cup Golden Ball over Lionel Messi
)
Japan is selling a refrigerator to cool the human body for Rs 9 lakh. It is already a hit in Tokyo
)
Revealed! The hidden ritual Marc Cucurella performed before Spain won the FIFA World Cup
)
Mumbai court gives life sentences to 44 Somali pirates despite mercy plea
)
US-Iran conflicts: Houthis announce maritime blockade on Saudi Arabia, Iran attacks MQ-9 drone hangar | Gravitas
)
‘Iran can survive sanctions, but can’t truly live’: Dy FM warns of economic cost of war
)
Sonam Wangchuk's connection with George Soros and Ford Foundation explained!
)
‘Netanyahu will not be arrested in any way, shape, or form in US’: Trump’s counter to Mamdani
)
FACT CHECK: Was Abhijit Dipke detained during CJP's Parliament march? Here's what police say
)
'There is no need for...': PM Modi takes a veiled dig at Rahul Gandhi, sends big message amid Parliament March
)
UP BTech gold medalist dies by suicide after failing in nearly 50 govt job attempts, leaves note for father
)
'Could be bombed at any moment': What Iran's Araghchi told Trump envoy Witkoff during negotiations
)
Jail over Khamenei post: J&K youth returns home after 3 months in Saudi custody
)
Salman Khan breaks silence on health concerns after viral Mumbai appearance
)
'George Soros playbook': Understanding the foreign funding network around Sonam Wangchuk
)
Indus treaty can no longer function in its current form, says India; plans 5,500 mw of new J&K hydro projects
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
2026 FIFA World Cup awards: Full list of Golden Boot, Golden Ball, Golden Glove and every major winner
)
US-Iran war: Report suggests US lost 42 aircraft, including fighter jets, reaper drones
)
JD and Usha Vance welcome fourth child: Who serves as acting US vice president during Vance's paternity leave?
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Spain World Cup victory parade in Madrid: Champions celebrate second FIFA World Cup title with over million fans
)
Heavy sanctions loom over Argentine players after ugly brawl following final whistle in World Cup final
)
As Russia pounds Ukraine, Kyiv grapples with a growing manpower shortage in the military | Gravitas
)
Truck loaded with stones, metro stations closed: What's happening at Jantar Mantar now
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Why US fighter jets use seamless bubble canopies compared to Russian jets
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Why the F-22’s cockpit glass is thicker than a standard fighter jet
)
Student union leaders call off hunger strike at Jantar Mantar after civil society appeal, but protest continues
)
Tulsi Gabbard's brother Batarti accused of luring children to hotel room in Hawaii
)
Argentina's racism problem: How football chants reflect a deeper historical legacy
)
US strikes Iran, sirens heard in Kuwait, one American soldier killed in Iraq: What's happening in West Asia
)
'What is wrong...': Anna Hazare breaks silence on Sonam Wangchuk's protest, makes an appeal to Centre
Also watch |Former UK PM Boris Johnson claims Rishi Sunak was a 'stooge' put in place by Cummings | WION
Cummings, one of the architects of the successful Vote Leave campaign, was sacked by Johnson, andcontinues to remain one of the most controversial figures in UK politics.
What did Sunak expect of Cummings?
According to sources cited by The Guardian, Cummings claimed that Sunak proposed a private role for him in preparing for the next election.
But disagreements arose over the terms of this arrangement, with Cummings insisting on prioritisation of critical issues. Cummings stated, "I'd rather the Tories lose than continue without prioritizing what's important and the voters."
One former cabinet minister described Cummings as "deeply toxic".
Another senior backbencher reportedly questioned the potential harm Cummings could bring, recalling the public outrage over his trip to Bernard Castle during the pandemic.
Downing Street reportedly did not declare these meetings in the official register, the Guardian report claimed. A government spokesperson said: “In full accordance with the ministerial code, meetings with private individuals to discuss political matters do not need to be declared.”
Cummings became a figure of some national ridicule across Britain during the pandemic when he claimed that he drove his family to the County Durham beauty spot of Barnard Castle to "test his eyesight".