Best of the Spectator Quite right!: Dominic Cummings – part two
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Jan 1, 2026 
Dominic Cummings, former chief advisor to Boris Johnson, reveals his unfiltered thoughts on the current state of British politics. He discusses the ‘pre-revolutionary’ mood among voters, citing voter rage and disillusionment with government promises. Cummings critiques the Conservative Party as 'completely dead' and addresses the failures of major institutions. He highlights the impact of economic stagnation, the cost-of-living crisis, and speculates on Nigel Farage's chances of mounting a serious political challenge. His insights provide a compelling reflection on the urgent need for change.
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Systemic Doubling Down
- The system keeps doubling down on failed orthodoxies instead of reforming itself.
- Dominic Cummings argues this inertia explains why problems persist across government crises.
Institutional Limits Shape Policy
- Whitehall's pathologies constrain policy options on immigration, economy and public services.
- Cummings says ministers make promises they cannot deliver because the civil service and courts block them.
Stagnation Fuels Public Rage
- Economic stagnation turns tolerable dysfunction into political rage.
- Cummings links stagnant growth and the cost-of-living crisis to rising contempt for the political class.