‘Useless F***-Pigs’: Dominic Cummings’ Private Rage At Boris Johnson’s Cabinet Revealed During Covid Inquiry
Former Adviser Dominic Cummings ripped former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s cabinet to shreds in expletive-rinsed Whatsapp messages from his time at Downing Street during the pandemic, blasting ministers as “useless fuck-pigs”, “cunts” and “morons.”
The Whatsapp messages surfaced during Cummings’ cross-examination by Covid inquiry lawyer Hugo Keith KC on Tuesday. He defended his choice of language as his own but said that his messages mirrored the sentiments held by “other competent people at the centre of power” concerning the inadequacy of many senior officials during the crisis.
“You called ministers useless fuck-pigs, morons, cunts… in emails and WhatsApps to your professional colleagues,” Keith said. “Do you think you contributed to a lack of effectiveness on the part of ministers?”
Cummings replied: “No, I think I was reflecting a widespread view amongst competent people at the centre of power at the time about the calibre of a lot of senior people who were dealing with this crisis extremely badly.”
When questioned if others shared his sentiments expressed in “those revolting ways”, Cummings responded to Keith saying: “My appalling language is my own but my judgements of senior people is widespread.”
Although now one of Johnson’s harshest critics, Cummings served as confidante and Chief Adviser to Johnson before quitting in November 2020.
Cummings served as Johnson’s chief political advisor in Downing Street starting in July 2019. Before that, he spearheaded the Vote Leave campaign during the Brexit referendum. He left Johnson’s cabinet one day after Downing Street Director of Communications Lee Cain, who was also a prominent figure from the Vote Leave campaign. Cain was also cross-examined on Tuesday.
