What was the government’s threat to go ‘on strike’ about?

It looks like another black mark against Dominic Cummings – but there’s method in the recklessness of the PM’s adviser, writes John Rentoul

Talk of a strike seemed to clash with the prime minister’s message of trying to ‘get Brexit done’ (EPA)

When Boris Johnson announced on Thursday that he would ask MPs on Monday to vote for an early election, there were several things he did not say in his letter to Jeremy Corbyn or in his short TV interview.

One obvious question was: what would he do if – as seems likely – MPs refused to vote by the required two-thirds majority for an early election? So journalists in Westminster asked the prime minister’s spokespeople, and some of their answers were surprising.

“The government will not proceed with the bill,” they said. The withdrawal agreement bill would be “pulled”, and the government would refuse to put any other business through parliament. Instead, the prime minister would “campaign every day and at every opportunity for a general election”.