Strip Dominic Cummings of parliamentary pass, urges Tory peer
Boris Johnson's controversial aide, Dominic Cummings, should be stripped of his parliamentary pass, according to a Tory peer.
Lord Hayward has written to the Speakers of both Houses to question the decision to grant Mr Cummings access to the Palace of Westminster after he was found to be in contempt of Parliament.
The Prime Minister's senior adviser and Vote Leave mastermind was admonished by the Commons in April after refusing to attend a select committee hearing.
In his letter to Speakers John Bercow and Lord Fowler, Lord Hayward said: "To most people I am sure it would seem inappropriate to issue a pass to someone when they have been found, only a few weeks earlier, to be in contempt of our procedures.
"A pass which gives them rights to move freely about and use the facilities of the Palace.
"I would ask therefore that this be reviewed as a matter of urgency and, if appropriate, that the pass is withdrawn until the contempt is purged."
Lord Hayward's move came as a Tory former Cabinet minister suggested Mr Cummings should be shown the door if he continues to act in an "arrogant manner".
Mr Cummings' conduct was raised in the Lords on Wednesday by two Tory former Cabinet ministers.
Lord Young of Cookham highlighted the case of Sonia Khan, an adviser to Chancellor Sajid Javid, who was escorted out of Downing Street by police officers after being sacked by Mr Cummings.
The peer, who quit the Tory frontbench in September over the PM's decision to suspend Parliament which was subsequently ruled to be unlawful, said: "Was it appropriate for Mr Cummings to say to his fellow special advisers 'If you don't like the way I run things, there's the door'?
"If he continues to act in this arrogant manner, shouldn't that invitation be extended to Mr Cummings?"
Lord Forsyth of Drumlean said: "Is it not the case special advisers are appointed to assist their secretaries of state and ministers?
"So what on earth is the purpose of Dominic Cummings holding meetings with all the special advisers, who should be responsible to their secretaries of state and not to him?"
