Dominic Cummings reveals that Boris Johnson branded Matt Hancock ‘hopeless’

LONDON — There’s a new leader of the opposition in Britain. Sort of.

Former Downing Street adviser Dominic Cummings published a bombshell dossier of evidence just before Prime Minister Boris Johnson stood up in the House of Commons for his weekly question session Wednesday. 

It included a killer punch: That Johnson once said Health Secretary Matt Hancock was “fucking hopeless” on coronavirus pandemic issues. 

As opposition Labour leader Keir Starmer stood up to ask his six questions in the regular Commons joust, focusing on the usual Labour concerns about border measures in the pandemic, Westminster was more interested in the Cummings blog post. 

Cummings knew what he was doing. In a 7,000 word blog post, he described Starmer as “useless” and posted up his own suggested questions for Johnson.

But his harshest criticisms were — as usual — reserved for Hancock, backing up the accusations he threw at the health secretary in a blockbuster committee hearing last month.

He condemned Hancock over failings on testing, protective equipment and protections for care homes — publishing numerous WhatsApp messages from Johnson complaining about the health secretary’s behavior, including one in which the PM branded his colleague “fucking hopeless.”

But Cummings accused Johnson of backing the health secretary’s “lies” about the virus. 

“If No10 is prepared to lie so deeply and widely about such vital issues of life and death last year, it cannot be trusted now either on covid or any other crucial issue of war and peace,” Cummings wrote. “The PM is trying to influence officials/advisers to support the re-writing of history and is encouraging ministers to give false accounts to Parliament.”

The blog dropped less than 30 minutes before Prime Minister’s Questions — but not a single MP took up his suggestions of things to ask. Scottish National Party Westminster leader Ian Blackford asked if the “hopeless” text messages was accurate, but the PM dodged the question.

This article is part of POLITICO’s premium policy service: Pro Health Care. From drug pricing, EMA, vaccines, pharma and more, our specialized journalists keep you on top of the topics driving the health care policy agenda. Email [email protected] for a complimentary trial.