You've probably heard to the news about Dominic Cummings, Boris Johnsons' Chief Advisor, flouting lockdown rules when his Wife had Covid-19 symptoms, by driving over 200 miles to his parent's property in Durham.
DC legging it from No.10 when he found out the PM had Covid.
There seems little doubt that this behaviour was in clear and flagrant breach of the lockdown rules that Cummings would have agreed to, if not himself suggested: making a 200 mile trip to a second home isn't within the rules and can't be excused, it makes a mockery of everyone else's efforts.
However, the Prime Minister is actually defending his behaviour, even though DC's position now seems untenable, also it seems like odd behaviour on the PM's part, at least until you get some insight into what's going on behind the scenes...
I read this really interesting article in the Financial Times a couple of months ago, which gives a Portrait of DC, which makes it clear that he just doesn't care about 'rules as usual'.
Dominic Cummings isn't the kind of man that obeys rule - he's the kind of man that uses them to manipulate other people into achieving his goals - he did this by enforcing rules directly in central government to 'get Brexit done' for example and more generally by using data science to inform the policy decisions he wants to make.
And since he has delivered Brexit it seems he's got a privileged position in Downing Street - he sees himself as the equal of the PM - which maybe isn't surprising when you learn he did a similar degree at Oxford but got a better grade, he's not intellectually stupid.
Then there's his dress-style, his dishevelled look - he clearly doesn't care what the public think, this much I can respect him for!
Oh, and his parent's farm in Durham, there's an outhouse there he refers to as 'the bunker - he has a history of returning to it between work-projects, it really does seem to have a significant role in his life, not that it excuses him travelling there recently.
Crucially, he's got a history of moving on from project to project fairly rapidly - apparently he dislikes the Westminster Life, and isn't committed to staying around in government.
Maybe that's why the PM is so keen to defend him, he's dependent on his advice, but he knows DC isn't committed to politics and that this latest debacle, this might just push him away, and back to The Bunker for a lot longer than two weeks!
The sooner he gets out of British politics and back to his bunker the better. I'm happy to drive him myself. What an arse.
The arrogance:
Dominic Cummings to give public statement later today.
He is. Sad thing is I think Boris feels like he needs him more than Cummings feels like he needs Westminster Politics.
I sure hope you’re right. I’ve never been so angry & sad at a Government in all my life. Can’t even listen live to the DC speech!
That guy with the horn deserved a medal!