Reshuffle of special advisers puts Cummings’ critics in ascendancy

A WHITEHALL reshuffle has led to Dominic Cummings’ influence being diluted, after the Duke of Cambridge’s private secretary was brought in and a critic of the Prime Minister’s principal aide was promoted. In a sign that Boris

Johnson’s chief political adviser had lost a power battle, Simon Case, the Duke’s private secretary, was brought into No 10 as the permanent secretary.

According to The Mail on Sunday, sources claimed that Mr Cummings had been at the centre of an attempt to oust Sir Mark Sedwill, the Cabinet secretary, although this was denied by No 10 sources.

However the appointment of Mr

Case, whose roles have included director of strategy for GCHQ and principal private secretary to former prime ministers David Cameron and Theresa May, has been seen by some as a bid to weaken Mr Cummings’ influence in Downing Street.

It was revealed in April that Mr Case, 41, would return to the Cabinet Office to ensure the “nonshielded vulnerable” received adequate support during the lockdown. It is believed that Mr Case will also act as a bridge between No 10 and Whitehall.

Mr Cummings has not seen eye to eye with the Whitehall establishment for some time. In February the Civil Service was forced to intervene by rewriting human resources rules to ensure the ministerial special advisers he oversees were treated “with respect”.

The Cabinet Office advertised for a senior policy leader to produce new HR policies for special advisers based on “treating everyone with respect” and “building trust”, to be overseen by Helen Macnamara, who led the office’s propriety and ethics team.

Ms Macnamara has since been promoted to deputy Cabinet secretary as well as head of the Cabinet Secretariat, which was previously held by Sir Mark.

Sir Bob Kerslake, the former head of

Civil Service, told The Daily Telegraph: “Mr Cummings is clearly an iconoclast and not positive about a lot of what the Civil Service does.

“Change is fine, but you have to do it with people rather than go to war with them. This was a problem before coronavirus and the pandemic has added to the urgent need for these relationships to work. I suspect that’s why Mr Case is back to strengthen the systems.”