Alastair Campbell: "Dominic Cummings Goes Out Of His Way To Attract Attention"

29 September 2019, 17:20 | Updated: 29 September 2019, 17:25

Tony Blair's former press secretary told Nigel Farage that he thinks that Dominic Cummings being played by Benedict Cumberbatch in the 'Brexit' movie went to his head.

In this takedown of Boris Johnson's special adviser, Alastair Campbell was keen to point out the differences between himself and Cummings.

He said: "I think if there is a difference between me and Dominic Cummings, I never had an agenda. Whereas I think what has happened with Dominic Cummings is... I think there is a real problem."

He told Nigel Farage: "I mean I've had a few actors play me but I haven't had a Holywood A-lister. But I think Benedict Cumberbatch has gone to Dominic Cummings head."

He added: "If I was representing the PM in downing street, you wear a suit, you were a tie. I think he deliberately goes out of his way to attract attention."

Campbell then told Nigel Farage that at a time when Boris Johnson "is clearly in a lot of political trouble, Dominic Cummings is going out of his way to draw attention to himself rather than to Boris Johnson's strategy."

He repeated: "I do think it's gone to his head."

He then went on: "When I look at the strategy that the government is pursuing.... he's lost every single battle that he's been engaged in. They are pulling every trick in the book to try and get Brexit done before 31st October."

He then said: "Part of his role may be to try and take away some of the heat and attention from Boris Johnson".

But both thought that the attention being on him might not sit well with Boris Johnson.

Campbell explained: 'Boris is a narcissist and I think there may come a point a bit like with your friend Steve Bannon..."

Nigel Farage recalled seeing Bannon on the cover of Time magazine and thinking "this is going to be over pretty damn quickly".