Boris Johnson ‘would like to reverse devolution but wouldn’t dare’ says Cummings

Boris Johnson would like to reverse devolution but doesn’t think he would get away with it, according to Dominic Cummings.

Responding to a comment on his latest Substack, the Prime Minister’s former senior aide said “He’s an unthinking unionist. Thinks devolution/Scottish parliament was a disaster, would like to reverse it but won’t dare try…”

It’s the latest on a series of revelations made on Dominic Cummings’ Substack, including that Boris Johnson admitted privately that him becoming prime minister would be a “ludicrous” idea  – just three years before he took the top job.

“Obviously it’s ludicrous me being PM – but no more ludicrous than Dave or George, don’t you think?” Johnson is said to have told Cummings.

‘Mistake’

Dominic Cummings’ comments on devolution come after Boris Johnson was forced to backpedal last year after claiming that “devolution has been a disaster” and was “Tony Blair’s biggest mistake” in a Zoom call with Tory MPs.

He also said that he did not “see a case” for handing down more powers from Westminster to the nations.

After he made the comments in November, Downing Street claimed that Boris Johnson was only referring to the SNP’s running of Scotland.

“The PM has always supported devolution but Tony Blair failed to foresee the rise of separatists in Scotland,” the source said. “Devolution is great – but not when it’s used by separatists and nationalists to break up the UK.”

At the time, Plaid Cymru leader Adam Price compared Boris Johnson’s comments to those by Donald Trump.

“Boris Johnson calling the devolved governments a disaster in the middle of this pandemic is a bit like Donald Trump accusing Joe Biden of being a danger to democracy,” he said.

“Our ‘biggest mistake’ is not leaving the Union sooner so we’re saddled with you as PM – for now, but not for long.”