In this engaging discussion, Dominic Cummings, the former Chief Advisor to Boris Johnson, dives into the breakdown of Western governance. He critiques outdated bureaucracies and highlights missed opportunities for reform during COVID. Cummings warns of systemic dysfunctions amid modern threats like biosecurity and AI. He reflects on the importance of historical lessons, contrasting effective leaders with today's challenges, and advocates for innovative talent recruitment in civil service to better address geopolitical tensions and foster effective governance.

Dominic Cummings, former chief adviser to Boris Johnson, shares insider insights from his rollercoaster career in British politics. He reveals the shocking inefficiencies within the UK government during the COVID response and critiques how power struggles overshadow public service. Cummings discusses the unexpected fallout from Brexit, including immigration surprises and the Conservative Party’s decline. He also dives into America’s political future, assessing Kamala Harris, and reflects on the portrayal of his life in film.

Dominic Cummings, a political scientist, discusses topics such as Elon, techies in politics, and new elitism. They also touch on the challenges of addressing crime and corruption, the influence of Israeli PR strategy on shaping Western perception, strategies for becoming president, the debate over the British monarchy, and San Francisco's changing tech landscape.

Matthew Syed asks what the world's greatest fighter pilot can tell us about decision making. He discovers a theory that transformed warfare and might have played a key role in Brexit.John Boyd was a rebel. The quintessential cigar-chomping fighter pilot. A legend within the US Air Force, he was known to be able to shoot down any opponent in a dogfight in under 40 seconds.He developed a decision making tool that would take the military by storm – OODA - observe, orient, decide, act. Boyd explained that this process looped, with each action leading to a new opportunity to observe. To defeat an enemy all you had to do was disrupt their OODA loop. Matthew reveals how Boyd devotee Dominic Cummings, deployed OODA during the Brexit campaign with great effect.While the OODA loop is highly effecting in confrontational settings, Matthew asks whether this form of thinking works when co-operation, rather than domination, is the name of the game.Producer: Robbie MacInnesA Novel production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in 2021.

Dominic Cummings, influential figure in UK politics, returns to Whitehall and gives evidence to the COVID Inquiry. The podcast also discusses the UK's response to the conflict in Gaza, Rishi Sunak's AI summit, concerns over the Muslim vote, upcoming public inquiry into Covid-19, and the future of transparency and auto deletion.