Alastair Campbell lambasts Boris Johnson as 'cronyism' row intensifies

24 April 2021, 12:52 | Updated: 24 April 2021, 15:26

Campbell: Labour government will clear out 'cesspit' in No.10

By Seán Hickey

The former Director of Communications for Tony Blair tells LBC that the PM has no moral compass amid a slew of cronyism allegations.

Boris Johnson's former chief advisor Dominic Cummings has come out this week in criticism of the Prime Minister. Alastair Campbell, former chief adviser to Tony Blair joined Matt Frei to reflect on the saga which has placed the PM in the eye of a storm of cronyism allegations.

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Mr Campbell noted that Mr Cummings' has turned against his former boss, and shows just how disjointed the Prime Minister's team has been. He explained that he would never dream of turning against Tony Blair, as he supported and endorsed all the policies of the former PM.

"This guy when he did his little Barnard Castle trip, Johnson used – how much political capital did he and the cabinet use with their pathetic little cut and paste text saying 'he's a family man, he did the right thing, let's move on.'"

"That guy is now saying Johnson's a liar and Johnson's potentially broken the law," Mr Campbell noted.

He hinted that the current scandal could be the nail in the coffin of the Government: "I hope this ends with a Labour government getting rid of these sleazebags and getting this cesspit cleared out."

Campbell: PM is 'incapable of being serious'

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Mr Campbell told Matt that the public shouldn't be surprised at the current controversy either. "This is what happens when you elect a prime minister without a moral compass," he noted.

The former director of communications believes that Boris Johnson "thinks he shouldn't be subject to real, proper scrutiny" and is leading to a disconnect with the public.

Matt wondered how strange Mr Campbell felt "having to agree with Dominic Cummings" who he has been notoriously critical of. Mr Campbell claimed that he supports Mr Cummings speaking out against "potentially illegal" acts going on in the heart of Government.

"If Tony Blair and Cherie Blair tried to raise 200,000 quid through Labour Party donors to tart up the Downing Street flat, we would never have heard the end of it.

"I'm glad that Cummings has pointed out that it's potentially illegal" he concluded.