Cactus Jack wrote:Dominic Cummings is an example of the sort of people who think policies are something that are set in stone and contrary facts are something to be explained away with spin and excuses.
Of all people Michael Gove should know this, when Cummings was a basically anonymous advisor in the DfE who gained the ear of Michael Gove his ideologically driven approach led to disaster after disaster and the maxim "there's no problem quite so bad that Michael Gove can't make it worse"
Amongst Cummings 'triumphs' in the DfE was the insistance that a section of a report on grammar schools showing that they denuded other schools of resources, favoured already privileged children and had a minimal and mostly negative impact on social mobility was literally left out when that report was given to the minister and not mentioned in the summary. Advised by Cummings Gove was such a disaster that even the association of head teachers - normally a very pro-conservative body - passed a vote of no confidence in him (Even Nicky Morgan didn't get that and she was unloved in the sector to say the very least)
Cummings is one of those who sounds good to idealists and wannabe demagogues who think that self belief and optimism coupled with, usually ham fisted attempts and transparent attempts at, Machiavellian strategies are a way to secure advancement. Unfortunately for those left in his trail of misery he has also always been a total failure and left swathes of destruction in his wake.
It's a gross disservice to him that he was hyped up as the bogeyman who everyone should be scared of. The BBC, the entire civil service, even the army - ministers kept telling them all "Cummings is going to sort you lot out, all of you."
So disrespectful to the army general to be told to his face that a scruffy unelected maverick was coming to sort him out.
Strange!
