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Boris Johnson’s top doctor in Downing Street resigned after a bitter behind-the-scenes power struggle.
In a great blow to him Prime Minister, its communications director Lee Cain has resigned and will step down at the end of the year.
Just hours earlier there were reports of bitter arguments within the Conservative camp over a plan to appoint Cain Number 10 as chief of staff.
Downing Street Communications Director Lee Cain (right) with Dominic Cummings
Labor’s shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth said the fights within the party were “pathetic.”
He tweeted: “We are in the most serious public health crisis in more than 100 years. We passed the grim milestone of 50,000 deaths today, but Downing Street doctors are preoccupied with fights like rats in a sack.”
In a statement confirming his resignation, Lee Cain confirmed that he had been asked to assume the prestigious position before resigning.
He said: “After careful consideration, I have resigned tonight as the 10th communications director and will be leaving the position at the end of the year.
“It has been a privilege to serve as an advisor to Johnson for the past three years, to be part of a team that helped him win the Conservative leadership contest, to secure the largest Conservative majority for three decades, and it was an honor to be asked to serve as chief of staff to the prime minister.
“I would like to thank the entire team at # 10, including the many unknown and incredibly talented civil servants, for their hard work and support over the past 18 months.
“And above all, I would like to thank the Prime Minister for his loyalty and leadership.
“I have no doubt that under his mandate the country will fulfill the promises made in the 2019 election campaign and will better rebuild from the coronavirus pandemic.”
Responding to the shocking news of the resignation of his loyal ally, Johnson said: “I want to thank Lee for his extraordinary service to the government over the past four years.
“He has been a true ally and friend and I am very pleased that he will continue to be the communications director through the new year and to help restructure the operation. We will miss him very much.”
The highly respected James Slack, a former Daily Mail political editor who is now the prime minister’s official spokesman, is believed to take on Cain’s role as communications director.
Last year, Cain helped lead Johnson’s conservative leadership campaign and was rewarded with the job as a top doctor in Downing Street with a salary of nearly £ 150,000.
It was speculated that Johnson would appoint Cain as key chief of staff after criticism from some Tory MPs about how the government has handled a number of policies and COVID-19-Related situations.
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Cain was a close ally of Dominic Cummings, Johnson’s senior adviser, having worked with him on the Brexit campaign.
The appointment was seen as consolidating control of the old Vote Leave team at the top of Downing Street.
However, it sparked an immediate backlash with Johnson’s fiancee Carrie Symonds, who opposed the move.
Others within the party blame Cain for a series of public relations disasters, such as the feud with English footballer Marcus Rashford over his free school meals campaign and the chaotic leak of plans for a second national shutdown in England 12 days ago, forcing Johnson to hold a press conference that delayed Strictly Come Dancing on television.
It is also believed that Cain was unhappy with Johnson’s choice of Allegra Stratton, a former journalist and television journalist who was Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s physician, as the new Downing Street spokesperson for the House-style press conferences. White to start. In the new year.
Worryingly for the prime minister, Cain’s surprising resignation has led to speculation in and around No. 10 that Cummings, a close ally and fellow veteran of Vote Leave, may also want to resign in protest.
He is reportedly not interested in taking on the role himself.
During a visit to a Tesco distribution center in southeast London on Wednesday, Johnson refused to be swayed by reports of Cain’s promotion.
“I have a lot of great staff members. As soon as there are more announcements to be made on that, you guys will be listening in due course,” he said.
Former journalist Mr. Cain had an unfortunate and short-lived career as a tabloid reporter, during which his main claim to fame was dressing up as the “chicken” of the Daily Mirror and pursuing David Cameron during the election campaign of 2010.
