Whether or not it was Dominic Cummings who leaked Boris Johnson’s text exchanges, as the prime minister apparently believes, the leaks have performed a public service. They have drawn attention to the dangers of what Keir Starmer, the Labour leader, calls “government by WhatsApp”.
The public response by Mr Cummings to being accused of the leaks is unedifying for Mr Johnson, although not unexpected. “It is sad to see the PM and his office fall so far below the standards of competence and integrity the country deserves,” Mr Cummings wrote in a post on his blog – the type of criticism the prime minister no doubt became used to receiving over his handling of the Covid-19 crisis – but he will not appreciate the boost this story has been given.
If the aim of the anonymous briefing against Mr Cummings was to take the heat out of the story involving the text exchanges with Sir James Dyson, that has failed spectacularly. Mr Cummings own accusations about the circumstances surrounding the Covid-19 lockdown leak and the refurbishment of Mr Johnson’s Downing Street flat will no doubt lead to some difficult questions.
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