PM’S wife loses key No 10 ally as top team reset continues

ONE of Carrie Johnson’s closest allies in Downing Street is leaving the Government, as Boris Johnson’s “reset” of his top team continues.

Henry Cook, who has worked at the heart of Whitehall for over a decade, is leaving his position as a senior adviser to Mr Johnson in No 10.

Mr Cook has mainly worked for Michael Gove, the Levelling Up Secretary, during his time as a government special adviser, but for the last two years has been working on the Government’s Covid-19 response.

A Downing Street source suggested that yesterday’s “living with Covid” announcement was the ideal time for him to seek a career elsewhere, as all legal Covid restrictions are ended and spending on the pandemic is tapered.

But his departure also comes just a fortnight after Henry Newman, another close ally of the Prime Minister’s wife, left Downing Street to work for Mr Gove, his former boss, at the Levelling Up Department.

Mrs Johnson and her friends have been blamed by some Tory MPS for the Government’s bungled response to the “partygate” scandal, and have been accused of forming a “clique” around the Prime Minister that blocks MPS’ access to No10.

A spokesman for Mrs Johnson has said the idea that she has undue influence on her husband’s policy-making decisions was part of a “brutal campaign” of sexist briefing against her.

The spokesman also said she has no formal role in the Government, despite her active interest in politics and time as a political adviser for ministers and the Conservative Party, and blamed “bitter ex-officials” for the suggestion that she is too powerful.