IF anyone was in any doubt about who’s running the show in Number 10, the matter has been cleared up by Mark Francois.
The Tory MP has sparked astonishment, and ridicule, after telling the UK's most senior army general that Dominic Cummings would “sort him out”.
The Brexiteer made the comment during an attack on the Ministry of Defence.
Cummings, Boris Johnson’s top aide (perhaps more accurately described as puppet master going by Francois’s comments), is eyeing a major shake-up of Whitehall, including reforms to defence spending.
Speaking at the Defence Select Committee in the House of Commons yesterday, he told General Sir Nick Carter: "Can we just make a plea to you. You are the professional head of the armed forces.
"Please nip back to the department and ask them to sort their bloody selves out, because if not, Cummings is going to come down there and sort you out his own way – and you won't like it."
Mark Francois tells Sir Nick Carter, chief of the Defence Staff, "Cummings is going to come down there and sort you out his own way, and you won’t like it" however this appears unlikely as we understand that General Sir Nick Carter is not based in Durham or in Barnard Castle. pic.twitter.com/KDwxyKi2u3
— UK Defence Journal (@UKDefJournal) July 7, 2020
READ MORE: Dominic Cummings under fire after top civil servant ousted by No 10
The general responded with a smirk.
Committee chair and Tory MP Tobias Ellwood remarked: "I think that message is passed on.”
The comments did not go down well.
Piers Morgan tweeted: “What the hell am I watching? How dare that jumped up little toad Francois talk to the head of our armed forces like this?”
What the hell am I watching? How dare that jumped up little toad Francois talk to the head of our armed forces like this? 👇 https://t.co/wpHSneGceS
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) July 7, 2020
A parody account for Francois added: “I can confirm that myself and Dominic Cummings will be meeting General Nick Carter for a straightener behind the bike sheds after work.”
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