Chancellor Sajid Javid ‘Furious’ After No.10 Sacking Of Media Adviser

Yet another colleague said: “He picked on someone who is hugely respected and doesn’t realise the backlash he’s created. Everyone’s thinking if they will do this to the chancellor’s spad, what happens to them?

“It makes it look like we have two megalomaniacs in No.10. The real danger for Boris is the more this stuff happens, the more it looks like Cummings is running the country not him.”

One government source added “the backlash will be deserved”. “Turns out publicly flogging a young spad is not a great look.”

One civil service insider said: “There is a real feeling that this was an extraordinary thing to do. Special advisers are the minister’s responsibility and if something goes wrong, normally they or the department deal with it or pass it to the Cabinet Office.”

A minister added that key figures in the No.10 team were “throwing their weight around” as if  they were operating in the private sector, rather than government, ignoring rules on unfair dismissal.

One Westminster source told the Times: “They are trying to weaken him as much possible, they want to put Sajid in his proverbial place. The adviser is collateral damage in this. The last time a chancellor was so weakened was Alistair Darling under Gordon Brown.”

A former aide told the Politico website: “The truth is they see Saj as a patsy,” they said. “That’s why he’s in there. Whether it’s staff or it’s spending decisions, they think he won’t kick up a fuss.”

A Whitehall source told HuffPost: “There is a feeling that because Cummings isn’t expected to stay around for long after Brexit, he has not a lot to lose and can create enemies without the usual sense of responsibility for the long term.”

Another source added: “Cummings has to realise this is not a campaign group, it’s government  and you follow due process for a reason.”

However, Cummings was unrepentant on Friday, with the Times revealing he told a meeting of special advisers: “If you don’t like how I run things, there’s the door. Fuck off.”

After a strong start, relations between No.10 and No.11 have been put under strain in recent weeks. 

Downing Street sources, rather than the Treasury, are suspected of having briefed two Sunday papers that there would be a fuel duty cut in the coming Budget.

Javid had planned to make a major speech this Wednesday but it was cancelled just 24 hours earlier, on the instructions of No.10, as his spending review was fast-tracked to next week. Another Javid special adviser has also been fired in the past fortnight.