Dominic Cummings accuses Boris Johnson of spreading ‘further misinformation’

Dominic Cummings has hit back at Boris Johnson’s partygate defence, accusing him of spreading “further misinformation”.

Mr Cummings, who was the former prime minister’s de facto chief of staff in Downing Street during most of the pandemic, alleged some of Mr Johnson’s claims were “obviously false”.

In the evidence Mr Johnson submitted to the privileges committee, he described his involvement in a gathering held in the No10 gardens on 20 May 2020.

The former prime minister said he attended the event for less than half an hour where he thanked groups of staff, before going back to his office to speak to the late Queen.

He said while there was food and drink at the gathering, he did not believe this meant it was against the Covid rules.

Mr Johnson says that he can “categorically state” that “no-one at the time expressed to me any concerns about whether the event complied with the rules or guidance”.

He says that at the time he “believed that the gathering was consistent with the rules and guidance” and he still believed that to be the case.

Mr Johnson notes Mr Cummings’ claims that he – along with Lee Cain, the then Downing Street director of communications – had warned Mr Johns that the event would be against the rules.

But Mr Johnson said he does not recall any conversation with Mr Cain about the event, and while he did speak to Mr Cummings that afternoon “he did not mention the event, let alone express any concerns” that it would be a breach of the rules.

Mr Johnson goes on to argue that Mr Cummings “cannot be treated as a credible witness”, adding: “It is no secret that Dominic Cummings bears an animus towards me, having publicly stated on multiple occasions that he wanted to do everything that he could to remove me ‘from power’.”

Mr Cummings, writing on his Substack blog on Tuesday afternoon following the publication of Mr Johnson’s defence, took aim at his former boss.

He says that Mr Johnson’s claims that the Downing Street garden party was not against the rules is “not just obviously false, it’s further misinformation from him”.

Mr Cummings says: “Officials were fined therefore the cops concluded it was against the rules, as [Lee] Cain and I warned that morning, and which is referred to in emails given to Sue Gray.”

Ms Gray noted in her partygate report that, after receiving an invitation to the garden party, Mr Cain emailed Martin Reynolds – who was Mr Johnson’s private secretary, to say: “I’m sure it will be fine – and I applaud the gesture – but a 200 odd person invitation for drinks in the garden of No10 is somewhat of a comms risk in the current environment”.

Mr Cain said he subsequently spoke to Mr Reynolds and “advised him that the event should be cancelled”, according to Ms Gray’s report.

But she adds that Mr Reynolds does not recall any such conversation. Her report goes on to say: “In addition, Dominic Cummings has also said that he too raised concerns, in writing. We have not found any documentary evidence of this.”

Mr Cummings and Mr Cain both left No10 on November 13, 2020. The pair – who had been among Mr Johnson’s closest aides during the pandemic – were said to have lost an internal power struggle at the heart of Downing Street.

Mr Cummings has gone on to become one of Mr Johnon’s staunchest critics. He used a parliamentary committee hearing in May 2021 to accise Mr Johnson of being “unfit” to lead Britain while also claiming that tens of thousands of lives had been unnecessarily lost to Covid amid the Government’s mishandling of the pandemic.