Designated Woman Boris Johnson To lead his daily press operations, tears were absent on Saturday after it was claimed to be the subject of negative press briefings by the former No.10 official who resigned last week and dramatically walked out of Downing Street.
In an unusual escalation of the rift between new and departing Johnson aides, friends of Allegra Stratton, the prime minister’s new press secretary, said she was “crying all morning” as a result of what she believed were critical briefings by Johnson. Former Director of Communications, Lee Kane.
Stratton, who will be the public face of the government, believes that Cain told several journalists over the past 24 hours that she was not the first choice for a job and was not at the top of the committee’s list chosen to be high-ranking. an appointment. Cain is a close ally of Dominic CummingsHe is the closest former Johnson advisor, who also resigned last week and was asked to leave on Friday.
This news came at a time when the allies of Cummings and Cain said that their enemies in the government were “determined to set them on fire.” [Johnson’s] The premiership “with a” tsunami of toxic briefings “that would ultimately undermine the government.” It’s a bloodbath, isn’t it? “Said another government figure.
Stratton, ex guardian And the TV journalist who worked for the chancellor, Rishi Sunak, prior to his appointment by Johnson, was said to be deeply concerned, as her reason for taking the position was to help restore civility and some order to Downing Street. A close friend of Stratton said, “Allegra is very upset. It was the prime minister who asked her to do the job several times. She did not apply to do so, but Johnson appealed to her sense of public duty.”
She wants to expand the attractiveness of this government. She loves and respects Johnson. But she thinks that this government has so far managed to make enemies and cut off the way to fighting, and that this government has narrowed its appeal and should work better. ”Stratton later said to Foreman: “Yes, I’m upset because I was just trying to do the right thing by the state. And the country doesn’t want to be run by people in Number 10 who treat people roughly and unhappy.”
Her decision to break the lid comes after an unusual week in which Cummings, Johnson’s closest and most controversial adviser, and Ken, the prime minister’s communications director, urged them to leave Downing Street without delay on Friday. The move came on the heels of disputes over leaking government announcements and premature allegations – reported in some media – that Cain would become Johnson’s new chief of staff. Another friend of Stratton said she believed Cain “was telling reporters that she wasn’t first in arranging the job … that they didn’t want her. There was a tug of war between her and Lee and Dom.”
Understandably, Stratton made it clear during discussions about her appointment that she would not work under Cain’s leadership, due to what she saw as his surprising approach and treatment of junior counselors. Her decision to make a public statement prior to the start of the daily briefings is a testament to just how dangerous the inner war inside Terminal 10 is.
Cain’s allies said Saturday night that he “never saw anyone” and added that the former communications director “was always clear that Allegra was the prime minister’s first choice.”
However, supporters of Cummings and Kayen indicated that she performed less well than the other candidates in the interviews and did not impress focus groups like others. High-ranking sources indicated in Issue 10 on Saturday evening that the prime minister is now preparing to make major changes to his teams in both Downing Street and the government, with a cabinet reshuffle “in January, or maybe before that.”
One of them said, “We have to strengthen the cabinet and fill the vacant positions so that there are changes.” According to a government source, Johnson was warned that Stratton’s appointment would represent “favoritism” due to her friendship with Carrie Symonds, the prime minister’s fiancée and former director of communications for the Conservative Party. An opponent of Stratton’s appointment said BBC journalist Eli Price was “head and shoulders” over other candidates during the formal job selection process. Despite the departure of Cummings and Kane, Johnson is understood to have told a group of Downing Street officials that he wanted to bring the “squad together” for the 2024 election.
Cain resigned after the fallout from Stratton’s appointment. It is understood that the Prime Minister tried to reverse the decision and offer him the position of Chief of Staff, but Qabil resigned after the news of the job offer was leaked.
Informed sources said that there is apparent discomfort among the prime minister’s team as the repercussions continue, as aides sounded hard to make sure that there would be no further resignations. “This is bloody even by Westminster standards,” said one of the characters in Whitehall. “It’s almost embarrassing. The one who suffers is the prime minister, he’s a good guy trying to do very difficult things. It’s a big distraction.”
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