Kids Company ‘targeted in Cummings smear campaign’
THE founder of the defunct charity Kids Company claimed yesterday it had fallen victim to a political ‘smear campaign’ designed to discredit former PM David Cameron.
Camila Batmanghelidjh launched an extraordinary attack on former No 10 chief adviser Dominic Cummings, accusing him of briefing against the charity while he worked at the Department for Education under Michael Gove.
She said Mr Cummings, who later masterminded the Vote Leave campaign, was part of a ‘Brexit team’ seeking to undermine the charity as part of an attack on Remainer Mr Cameron, whose backing of Kids Company had seen it lauded as an example of his ‘Big Society’ ideology.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour Miss Batmanghelidjh demanded Mr Gove, now Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, apologise to the children who lost support from the charity.
She accused him of being ‘really disingenuous’ by turning his back on her charity following its collapse – despite her earlier being awarded a CBE.
Kids Company, which helped vulnerable children, was given £42milllion of public money, including £3million days before it collapsed in 2015 amid allegations of mismanagement and the squandering of funds.
Miss Batmanghelidjh, 57 – whose flamboyant style helped boost the charity’s profile – was giving her first interview since winning a High Court fight to disqualify her from holding company directorships as a result of her handling of Kids Company.
She told Woman’s Hour she has recently been working with other children’s charities but didn’t know ‘yet’ whether she will run her own again.