| Notes |
2016-01-21
The Economist: An interview with Dominic Cummings
"A leading anti-EU campaigner discusses the upcoming referendum battle and his optimistic case for Brexit
Jan 21st 2016
by BAGEHOT
IN MY column this week I profile Dominic Cummings, a former government adviser who is now campaign director for Vote Leave, the largest of the groups vying to lead the Out campaign in Britian's upcoming referendum on the European Union (EU)."
https://archive.vn/EJR8I#selection-619.0-674.0
2016-02-03
"Two of the most important people campaigning for Britain to leave the EU have left the board of the Vote Leave campaign group.
On February 3, Vote Leave's CEO Matthew Elliott and campaign director Dominic Cummings stepped down from the board of the group following months of infighting that threatened to tear the campaign apart."
https://archive.vn/8UiBF#selection-2661.0-2665.202
Campaign to leave the European Union (2015–2019)
See also: 2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum
Cummings became campaign director of Vote Leave upon the creation of the organisation in October 2015.[18] As the leading strategist of the campaign he was credited with creating the Vote Leave slogan, "Take back control" and the claim that Brexit would allow an extra £350m a week to be spent on the NHS.[29][30][31] His campaign strategy was summarised as: "Do talk about immigration";[32][33] "Do talk about business"; "Don’t make the referendum final"; "Do keep mentioning the Charter of Fundamental Rights and the over-reach of the European Union's Court of Justice". Board member of Vote Leave Bernard Jenkin tried to remove Cummings and merge Vote Leave with the other campaign, Leave.EU.[34] Cummings and Vote Leave CEO Matthew Elliott left the board in February 2016 following reported infighting.[35] The June 2016 referendum resulted in a 51.9% vote to leave the European Union. Cummings was praised alongside Elliott as being one of the masterminds of the campaign.[36]
He advised Babylon Health on its communications strategy and senior recruitment up to September 2018. The Labour Party opposition spokesman Jon Ashworth said the links between Cummings, the health secretary and Babylon were "increasingly murky and highly irresponsible".[37]
In March 2019, the Commons Select Committee of Privileges recommended the House issue an admonishment for contempt of Parliament after Cummings failed to appear before the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee inquiry into claims of false news during the referendum campaign.[38] The resolution admonishing him was passed by resolution of the House of Commons on 2 April 2019.[39]
In July 2017, the lawyer and political commentator David Allen Green asked Cummings via Twitter, "Is there anything which could now happen (or not happen) which would make you now wish Leave had not won the referendum result?" Cummings replied, "Lots! I said before REF was dumb idea, other things should have been tried 1st."[40] |