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In March 2019, before he entered government, Cummings wrote: “A teenager will be able to deploy a drone from their smartphone to sink one of these multibillion-dollar platforms. Please nip back to the department and ask them to sort their bloody selves out, because if not, Cummings is going to come down there and sort you out his own way, and you won’t like it.”. Defence mandarins are bracing themselves for an overhaul of the way they operate, after Boris Johnson’s chief aide Dominic Cummings branded previous major military purchases “a farce”. But the fact that Cummings was a faintly ludicrous figure, in his untucked shirts and festival-dad gilets, does not mean that his questions, his challenges to the status quo, were misguided. Details of the defence review had not been immediately briefed to MoD officials, who said that reports about it could only be described as speculation. Monday 16th December, 2019. When Cummings flounced out of Downing Street last November in the midst of a half-hearted palace coup, most civil servants will not have mourned. Dominic Cummings is to visit the SAS and four other of the Ministry of Defence’s most sensitive sites, a leaked email has revealed, at a time when the armed forces are battling to avoid swingeing cuts in an upcoming review. The idea is to showcase some of the MoD’s flagship operations to an adviser who has complained that military procurement “has continued to squander billions of pounds” and who has written in his personal blog of the potential for drone warfare. The Ministry of Defence's procurement is expected to be a priority for next year after Mr Cummings previously described the systems as 'a farce'. Dominic Cummings and Chillingham Castle. January 20, 2020 6.41am EST The British prime minister’s top special adviser Dominic Cummings has set his eyes on reforming the Ministry of Defence (MoD). Have a look around and see what you think. Whitehall insiders said that the Cummings view has long been held by Sir Mark Sedwill, the cabinet secretary, reflecting a belief that the capability of Britain’s armed services does not reflect the £39bn a year that is spent on them. The tour was deemed sufficiently important by Ben Wallace, the defence secretary, that he and his special adviser wanted to arrange its outline themselves before handing over to officials, according to the email. 9 Jul 2020. Dominic Cummings seeks to launch MoD spending review | UK news December 16, 2019 Dominic Cummings is seeking to launch a review of Ministry of Defence spending and strategy next year, after concerns that the department has been wasting billions on misjudged procurement. PM’s adviser will visit SAS and Porton Down, and has been to MI5 and MI6, leaked email says, Last modified on Wed 8 Jul 2020 20.25 BST. September 29, 2017 by dominiccummings Review of Allison’s book on US/China & nuclear destruction, and some connected thoughts on technology, the EU, and space ‘The combination of physics and politics could render the surface of the earth uninhabitable… His enthusiasm for the potential for military technology is well known. Dominic Cummings leaves his home on March 17, 2021 in London Whitehall was a bunged-up sewer of civil service red tape which needed attacking with a Cummings … But the criticisms will likely catch the attention of the prime minister's chief special adviser, Dominic Cummings, who wants to overhaul the way the MoD buys military equipment. Boris Johnson's aide, Dominic Cummings is targeting a major overhaul of military spending. Dominic Cummings has got it right over Armed Forces spending, says MoD expert Support for chief adviser who has branded military procurement 'a farce that enriches some of … “He is the prime minister’s senior adviser so being in that position as you would expect he regularly visits government sites and meets ministers, similar visits have taken place involving senior advisers under previous governments,” they said. Such comments almost certainly exaggerate the capability of current drone technology, but many military analysts consider that aircraft carriers are, in effect, floating targets for an enemy state, and to deploy them effectively they need a small fleet of smaller supporting ships, which only adds to the cost. HMS Queen Elizabeth, the UK’s newest aircraft carrier, arriving in Portsmouth in 2017. The decision to build two was taken early under Gordon Brown’s premiership, partly to safeguard shipbuilding in Scotland, in Rosyth in Fife and at Govan on the Clyde, although at the time some Labour insiders argued that one would be enough, or that they could be shared with the France. In … The Defence Secretary has praised the Prime Minister’s outgoing aide Dominic Cummings for his part in securing a bumper funding package for the armed forces. Dominic Cummings to tour MoD sites for security overhaul. Dominic Cummings is to tour five of the UK’s most highly classified military sites in preparation for a major shake-up of the country’s defence and intelligence services. MoD sources confirmed a personal tour had been organised for the prime minister’s chief adviser, which will also take in the specialist military research laboratories at Porton Down, Wiltshire. Dominic Cummings to Overhaul MoD Procurement . The anticipated review from Boris Johnson’s most influential aide comes amid expectations of a wider revamp of Whitehall operations and after he singled out the £6.2bn decision to build two new aircraft carriers as continuing to “squander billions of pounds”. Chillingham Castle is a 13th century, Grade 1 Star-listed stronghold in Northumberland, famed for action and battles. Although details remained sketchy, the prime minister’s spokesman confirmed the plans to hold the review: “As the PM announced during the election campaign, the government will undertake a new integrated foreign policy, security and defence review which will extend from the armed forces to the intelligence services, counter-terrorism, serious organised crime, diplomacy and development. A post on Cummings’s blog in March described the procurement process as a farce that “has continued to squander billions of pounds, enriching some of the worst corporate looters and corrupting public life via the revolving door of officials/lobbyists”. Such a teenager could already take out the stage of a Downing Street photo op with a little imagination and initiative, as I wrote about years ago.”. Johnson’s top aide concerned department wasting billions on misjudged procurement, Last modified on Mon 16 Dec 2019 21.20 GMT. James O'Brien's incredibly powerful response to Boris Johnson defending Dominic Cummings. 20 Dec 2019 Defence secretary Ben Wallace has sent out a strong signal that Dominic Cummings – prime minister Boris Johnson’s chief special adviser – is poised to launch a wide-ranging programme of procurement reform, with the Ministry of Defence a key target. Defence mandarins are bracing themselves for an overhaul of the way they operate, after Boris Johnson's chief aide Dominic Cummings branded previous major military purchases "a farce". It aims to look at the strategic objectives for the armed and security forces for the next five years and is intended to feed into the autumn spending round. Dominic Cummings to tour sensitive MoD sites amid defence review This article is more than 3 months old PM’s adviser will visit SAS and Porton Down, and has been to MI5 and … Dominic Cummings’ standing in government appears to have rapidly recovered after his lockdown breach. The then future Downing Street aide continued: “A teenager will be able to deploy a drone from their smartphone to sink one of these multibillion-dollar platforms. “This will ensure we are making the best use of spending to ensure all our security forces are ahead of hostile powers, terrorists and organised crime.”. Another Whitehall reform being considered is whether to merge the Department of International Development, responsible for £10bn of spending in overseas aid, with the Foreign Office. A SPECIAL adviser has been forced out of the MoD weeks after standing up to the PM’s aide Dominic Cummings. Speaking at the defence select committee, the influential Brexiter told Gen Sir Nick Carter, the chief of the defence staff: “Can we just make a plea to you. Mavericks are never popular. Lynn Davidson, who was Defence … The exact status of the defence review is as yet unclear – although a wider comprehensive spending review (CSR) is due in 2020 after a multi-year round was deferred to allow for the general election. Tom Tugendhat, a Tory MP and former chairman of the foreign affairs select committee, told the BBC: “There’s a real issue with defence – we know that an organisation that spends £42bn and has got issues with availability of ships, aircraft and equipment really does need a shake-up.”. The first of the two ships, the Queen Elizabeth, was off the coast of Florida in October, testing with British F-35 jets for the first time, while the second, the Prince of Wales, sailed into Portsmouth last month for the first time after completing its first sea trials. Dominic Cummings, regarded as a key architect of the prime minister’s election victory, will tackle military procurement as a priority for next year, allies have said. Over the weekend there was speculation that the armed forces faced significant cuts, including reducing the size of the army by nearly 20,000, to 55,000 personnel, but this was repeatedly denied by Wallace, who said the review process had hardly begun. I’m married to Mary Wakefield, who is the deputy editor of The Spectator, and the daughter of Sir Humphry Wakefield, of Chillingham Castle in Northumberland. The prime minister’s press secretary said Cummings’ visit to military sites was a routine part of being an adviser. The review will report back to the prime minister and Dominic Cummings is the prime minister’s senior adviser but it’s being conducted by John Bew and Alex Ellis.”. PM's maverick aide Dominic Cummings 'will overhaul wasteful Ministry of Defence spending' after branding £6.2billion aircraft carrier project … “Russia gets better value for money than we do,” one said. Dominic Cummings seeks to launch MoD spending review Johnson’s top aide concerned department wasting billions on misjudged procurement Latest politics news – live updates HMS … Cummings’ status within government appears to have rapidly recovered after he endured intense criticism for travelling to and around County Durham with his family during lockdown. It is understood Cummings’ clearance level was checked to ensure he was permitted to visit the national security sites on the list and to engage in open conversations with troops, researchers and intelligence specialists present. T he review of defence and foreign policy led by Boris Johnson’s chief of staff Dominic Cummings will be the most radical since 1945, according to those already involved. “It is for the [the minister’s special adviser] and the secretary of state to engage in the first instance before delegating to officials.”. On Tuesday, the Conservative backbencher Mark Francois warned the head of the armed forces that Cummings would “sort you out”, after a lengthy complaint about the MoD’s procurement processes. Asked if Cummings is now leading on the defence review – assigned to the prime minister’s foreign policy adviser John Bew and civil service director general, Alex Ellis – the prime minister’s official spokesperson said: “It’s really not unusual for senior government figures to visit government sites. You are the professional head of the armed forces. Re: Dominic Cummings on Defense, procurement, MoD and the civil service Post by Zero Gravitas » Tue Jun 30, 2020 9:00 am Johnson / Cummings haven’t moved with the speed I would have advocated (or I bet McDonnell would have if he had gained power). PM’s most senior aide to play central role in review of UK’s foreign policy, defence and security. Dominic Cummings is seeking to launch a review of Ministry of Defence spending and strategy next year, after concerns that the department has been wasting billions on misjudged procurement. Such a teenager could already take out the stage of a Downing Street photo op with a little imagination and initiative, as I wrote about years ago.”. Cummings has visited MI5 and MI6, the domestic and foreign intelligence agencies, twice already, it said. Dominic Cummings is seeking to launch a review of Ministry of Defence spending and strategy next year, after concerns that the department has been wasting billions on misjudged procurement. The Prime Minister's chief aide, Dominic Cummings, is expected to overhaul defence procurement at the start of next year. https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/sleaford-mods-new-song-shortcummings Downing Street has restarted an integrated review of defence and foreign policy, which was delayed by the coronavirus crisis. Boris Johnson last week set out a £16.5 billion increase in defence spending over four years as he said the UK faced a … Its existence is likely to worry service chiefs. There has been particular concern at the heart of Whitehall about the Royal Navy, which has only just overseen a decade-long programme to build two new aircraft carriers – one more than Russia or France – which many believe are militarily inefficient. According to an email seen by the Sydney Morning Herald, the Cummings tour will also cover the Special Boat Service, defence intelligence and the Rapid Capabilities Office, which is responsible for special project development. EXCLUSIVE: Dominic Cummings questioned why the unit still existed while MoD wants to give more funding to cyber units with 'very worrying conversations at the highest levels' Dominic Cummings is an unelected political adviser who is side-lining the MoD in the biggest review into our nations defence since the Cold War. “The secretary of state explicitly does not wish anyone to engage Number 10 or Dominic Cummings on this,” the email said. But in September, the MoD won a real-terms increase in its budget from Johnson, with core spending up by 3.4% to £39.3bn, a reminder that the defence lobby remains powerful in Whitehall. Mod in the biggest review into our nations defence since the Cold War MoD for..., the domestic and foreign intelligence agencies, twice already, it said government appears have... The MoD in the biggest review into our nations defence since the Cold War for technology. 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