The new face of Downing Street, Allegra Stratton, has criticised a group of Boris Johnson’s former advisers for treating people “discourteously and unpleasantly”, following the exit of Dominic Cummings and Lee Cain from Number 10. Ms Stratton, a former journalist who has been selected by the Prime Minister to front Downing Street’s televised news briefings, is a key member of the anti-Cummings faction of Mr Johnson’s administration. Alongside Carrie Symonds, Mr Johnson’s girlfriend, Ms Stratton objected to a culture of negative briefing by Downing Street officials. Ms Stratton was left in tears on Saturday after briefings from sources loyal to Mr Cummings and Mr Cain suggested she had orchestrated a coup against them. Other briefings suggested Ms Stratton was not the Prime Minister’s first choice to fill the Downing Street press secretary role. She told the Observer: “I am upset because I was only ever trying to do the right thing by the country. And the country does not want to be run by people in No 10 who treat people discourteously and unpleasantly.” Another source in the Cummings camp revealed Ms Symonds was privately nicknamed “Princess Nut Nut” by some officials. Open warfare between rival factions in Downing Street began after it was reported that Mr Johnson intended to report Mr Cain as his chief of staff, a powerful position at the Prime Minister’s side. Ms Stratton, Ms Symonds and other advisers objected to Mr Cain’s appointment, while Mr Cummings supported it, The Telegraph understands. Mr Cain is a member of the so-called “Vote Leave” faction of Downing Street officials, who know Mr Johnson and each other from the 2016 Brexit referendum campaign, which Mr Cummings led. The dispute between rival groups ultimately led to Mr Cain and Mr Cummings’ resignation, although it is understood both may continue to work for the Government from home until the end of the year. Ms Stratton’s comments on Sunday were the first she has made publicly on the subject. Friends of the adviser – who previously worked on the image of the Chancellor, Rishi Sunak – said she believed there was a “laddish” culture in Downing Street. Mr Cain denies briefing journalists against her. Mr Johnson’s choice of a new chief of staff will affect the balance of power in Downing Street after the apparent victory of the Symonds/Stratton faction over the “Vote Leave” group. The Prime Minister was on Sunday urged to appoint a figure that would be popular with his own backbenchers, many of whom have looked on in dismay at the infighting in Downing Street at a crucial point in the Government’s response to the coronavirus pandemic. Sir Charles Walker, vice-chair of the 1922 committee of Tory MPs, told Times Radio: “I’m meant to pick up on colleagues’ concerns and the concerns were that actually we don’t feel part of this journey and that’s not a good place for a government to be in. “When you don’t feel part of a journey problems start to arise. “It’s just a feeling that there are people at Number 10 who are interested in what we think and want to relay what we think back to the Prime Minister who can’t always be in the tea room and around.”
The new face of Downing Street, Allegra Stratton, has criticised a group of Boris Johnson’s former advisers for treating people “discourteously and unpleasantly”, following the exit of Dominic Cummings and Lee Cain from Number 10. Ms Stratton, a former journalist who has been selected by the Prime Minister to front Downing Street’s televised news briefings, is a key member of the anti-Cummings faction of Mr Johnson’s administration. Alongside Carrie Symonds, Mr Johnson’s girlfriend, Ms Stratton objected to a culture of negative briefing by Downing Street officials. Ms Stratton was left in tears on Saturday after briefings from sources loyal to Mr Cummings and Mr Cain suggested she had orchestrated a coup against them. Other briefings suggested Ms Stratton was not the Prime Minister’s first choice to fill the Downing Street press secretary role. She told the Observer: “I am upset because I was only ever trying to do the right thing by the country. And the country does not want to be run by people in No 10 who treat people discourteously and unpleasantly.” Another source in the Cummings camp revealed Ms Symonds was privately nicknamed “Princess Nut Nut” by some officials. Open warfare between rival factions in Downing Street began after it was reported that Mr Johnson intended to report Mr Cain as his chief of staff, a powerful position at the Prime Minister’s side. Ms Stratton, Ms Symonds and other advisers objected to Mr Cain’s appointment, while Mr Cummings supported it, The Telegraph understands. Mr Cain is a member of the so-called “Vote Leave” faction of Downing Street officials, who know Mr Johnson and each other from the 2016 Brexit referendum campaign, which Mr Cummings led. The dispute between rival groups ultimately led to Mr Cain and Mr Cummings’ resignation, although it is understood both may continue to work for the Government from home until the end of the year. Ms Stratton’s comments on Sunday were the first she has made publicly on the subject. Friends of the adviser – who previously worked on the image of the Chancellor, Rishi Sunak – said she believed there was a “laddish” culture in Downing Street. Mr Cain denies briefing journalists against her. Mr Johnson’s choice of a new chief of staff will affect the balance of power in Downing Street after the apparent victory of the Symonds/Stratton faction over the “Vote Leave” group. The Prime Minister was on Sunday urged to appoint a figure that would be popular with his own backbenchers, many of whom have looked on in dismay at the infighting in Downing Street at a crucial point in the Government’s response to the coronavirus pandemic. Sir Charles Walker, vice-chair of the 1922 committee of Tory MPs, told Times Radio: “I’m meant to pick up on colleagues’ concerns and the concerns were that actually we don’t feel part of this journey and that’s not a good place for a government to be in. “When you don’t feel part of a journey problems start to arise. “It’s just a feeling that there are people at Number 10 who are interested in what we think and want to relay what we think back to the Prime Minister who can’t always be in the tea room and around.”