Dominic Cummings ready to accuse Boris Johnson over UK Covid deaths

Former adviser and ally reportedly wanted borders closed sooner

Special adviser Dominic Cummings (left) and Prime Minister Boris Johnson at the rear of Downing Street. AFP/file

A former close ally of UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson appears set to blame him for thousands of coronavirus deaths.
Dominic Cummings, the prime minister's former chief of staff, left government last year and this weekend wrote a blog including a series of allegations against Mr Johnson.
On Sunday the former adviser was ready to slam Mr Johnson's performance during the pandemic and to accuse him of being too slow to close borders and impose a lockdown when he appears at a parliamentary committee hearing next month, The Sunday Times reported.
"Dominic has copies of everything and knows where all the bodies are buried," an ally of Mr Cummings was quoted as saying.
"He was pushing the prime minister hard to lock down sooner in the autumn and he has lots of evidence that shows that his decision to delay led to devastating consequences."

A worker dressed in PPE talks with members of the public arriving to take Covid-19 tests at a surge testing centre in Brockwell Park in south London. AFP

People stand in a socially distanced as they queue at the testing centre in Brockwell Park. AFP

The UK is using “surge testing” in London to prevent an outbreak of the feared South African variant of Covid-19. AFP

People gather in the street in the Soho area of London, as coronavirus restrictions are eased across the country in step two of the government's roadmap out of England's third national lockdown. AFP

Metropolitan Police officers on patrol as people gather on a street in Soho in London. Reuters

Police look on as people walk through Soho in London. Reuters

Police officers wearing protective face coverings make an arrest in the Soho area of London. AFP

People drink coffee in the street in the Northern Quarter of central Manchester. AFP

People pose for a picture next to a sign at Covent Garden in London. Reuters

An employee sets a table in a dome on the terrace of a restaurant in Chester, north-west England. AFP

People join in a dance led by a street performer in Leicester Square, London. AP Photo

As a glut of leaks and counter leaks are made public, Mr Johnson has found himself caught up in ethics complaints and calls for a government-wide inquiry.
Leaked texts appear to show Mr Johnson agreeing to "fix" a tax issue for vacuum magnate James Dyson's staff, brought into the UK to work on the government's drive to mass-produce ventilators to help with the pandemic.

Mr Cummings resigned last year after a tumultuous period as Mr Johnson’s chief adviser in which he clashed with officials, ripped up conventions of government and sparked a national outcry with a 400-kilometre road trip at the height of the first pandemic lockdown.

Accusations from Mr Cummings are highly significant as he was at the heart of government and had a key role in Britain's exit from the European Union, which ultimately helped Mr Johnson win a landslide general election victory in December 2019.
The UK has recorded more than 125,000 deaths in two fierce waves of infections and is only now lifting its lockdown measures.
Mr Cummings' blog post itemised a succession of alleged failings by Mr Johnson and his current senior team.
The blog questions Mr Johnson's integrity and competence, alleges he wanted an ongoing inquiry over lockdown leaks shut down, and claims he considered trying to get political donors to pay for a refurbishment of his Downing Street flat.
International Trade Secretary Liz Truss said on Sunday that Mr Johnson paid for renovations to his Downing Street flat "from his own pocket".

But she refused to answer five times when asked if money from a donor had initially been received to pay for expenses.

"My understanding is the costs have been covered by the prime minister and everything has been fully declared by the rules," she said.

A Downing Street spokesperson said: "At all times, the government and ministers have acted in accordance with the appropriate codes of conduct and electoral law."
Mr Cummings is scheduled to give evidence to the joint investigation of the health and science select committees into the government's handling of the Covid pandemic on May 26.