A silent coup (UPDATED)

Is there such a thing as a light-touch coup? Does the centralisation of power worry you? How do we citizens benefit? What’s in it for the politicians?

Not long ago, a powerful minister faced a comply-or-die decision. In his case, the Prime Minister demanded he fires his advisors and thus support the centralisation of power. Out of loyalty to his team, the minister challenged the instruction. Unmoving, the PM insisted and, on that point of principle, the minister resigned. Comply or die it’s what overthrows are made of.

Vote Leave shenanigans …

• Boris Johnson and Michael Gove fronted Vote Leave and broke UK electoral law. It begs questions about their legitimacy and right to hold office.
• Furthermore, Vote Leave colluded with BeLeave and splashed rule-breaking cash (the Electoral Commission said Vote Leave funnelled £675k through BeLeave).
• Nor should one forget the small matter of the DUP Ulster money that the Electoral Commission decided it was ‘not in the public interest’ to investigate. Not in the public interest? Who are they to decide? A political fix or worse?
• It’s also worth noting that Vote Leave paid a £61,000 fine for breaching electoral law, and the UK Electoral Commission reported them to the police.
• On top of that, The Electoral Commission fined the founder of BeLeave £20,000.
• The Crown Prosecution Service received a report from the police in October 2019. What happened next? Does culpability taint Johnson, Gove and Cummings?
• It is worth mentioning Dominic Cummings was found to be in contempt of Parliament.

Is the Vote Leave team still operational? Yes is the answer, and Johnson, Gove, Cummings, the Warner brothers, and apparatchiks are the old team in a new setting. A coup indeed.

The sneaky power-grab goes on … (is this a coup by any other name)?

• “Faculty”, an IT business, supported the Vote Leave campaign. Its CEO is Marc Warner. Recently Faculty gained around seven government contracts worth approaching £1 M. Is more to come?
• Then there’s Ben Warner (a data scientist) and the brother of Marc Warner. They say Ben Warner works for Dominic Cummings as a Data Scientist and government adviser. Are you surprised he did data modelling for the Conservative party’s oven-ready general election campaign? Oven-ready means it’s all over bar the cooking.
• Ben, Marc, and Dominic currently work or have contracts with the UK Government. How were the contracts awarded? Were they tendered formally? Were advisor roles advertised? Is it worth mentioning public interest as opposed to ideology?
• You’ll recall that Dominic Cummings and Ben Warner attended SAGE meetings. Marc Warner of Faculty reportedly attended one too.
• Depending on your point of view, you may feel that having IT experts attend Scientific Advisory Groups makes sense. Alternatively, you may have thoughts about track record, power abuse, and manipulation.
• Then, of course, there is the resignation of Sajid Ravid. Firing his advisers was the price of keeping his job. He stood firm and became a coup victim – even if a speck or two of mud spatters his banking reputation.
• Who is the boss in the British Government, the PM or someone else?

Test questions?

Is it okay to give partisan (unelected?) people vast influence in Government? Allowing them to hire and fire at will?

Are the best interests of British citizens at the heart of current political changes? Is something less pure in hand? Will changes happen at the right time or in a chaotic, unprepared, incompetent way? Is it possible the UK may be harmed for years to come?

Is this the corrupt old Westminster bubble letting a coup happen?

• Fire advisors.
• Fire civil servants.
• Remove ‘the whip’ from politicians.
• Give expertise-free cronies huge contracts without a tender.

What do you make of it? Are you happy?

Is it fair to wonder if the UK’s Seven Principles of Public Life matter any more? What do you think?

© Mac Logan