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Boris Johnson’s chief of staff is on the brink of leaving Downing Street after just four months in the job, sources claim.
Former Treasury civil servant Dan Rosenfeld has had a baptism of fire since he took up his position in January, and has been the subject of hostile briefings from all sides as the factional wars have raged in No 10. Within weeks of him starting, it was claimed that a ‘Sack Dan’ campaign was under way due to his management style.
One official claimed that in meetings he was ‘imbued with the false bonhomie of David Brent in The Office’. Another said: ‘He’s obsessed with process and paperwork rather than politics and people.’
The truth about the claim Boris Johnson would let the bodies pile high rather than order more lockdowns: GLEN OWEN reveals what was REALLY said - and the context - as hunt for Redthroat mole leaking to Labour focuses on PM s private office
Boris Johnson was warned that a senior civil servant at the heart of Downing Street was leaking information
The official, who is still at Number 10, was being watched by Dominic Cummings and his loyal supporters
It is claimed Boris Johnson ignored the warnings on the grounds the official was too good to be moved on
For months, Sir Humphrey has been at war with Boris. Now it’s George Smiley’s turn. ‘The security services are furious,’ a Minister tells me. ‘No 10 have been saying things they’re not supposed to say.’
Their anger revolves around the hunt for the ‘Chatty Rat’ and the decision to use what has euphemistically been dubbed ‘invasive methods’ to find the mole’s identity.
‘The spooks were brought in to catch the Chatty Rat,’ the Minister explains, ‘but they said it was vital the details of their investigations weren’t made public. They didn’t want to reveal their techniques.’
To me, the much-repeated claim that the task of keeping Carrie placated influences our Prime Minister s decisions seems unbelievable.
Can this really be true? Is the most powerful man in the country, Boris, the original alpha male, so nervous about his fiancee throwing a wobbly that he makes not only domestic but professional choices based on swerving the pots and pans she might chuck his way?
His appointment of Allegra Stratton as the face and voice of Downing Street communications was reported to come down to his fear that Carrie would be cross if she didn t win the gig.
When the investigation into the identity of the Chatty Rat threw up the name of special adviser Henry Newman, Boris apparently said it would cause him problems if true because Newman was Carrie s friend.