They are the whodunnits that make Line Of Duty look straightforward. Who has been leaking Downing Street secrets in an attempt to damage Boris? And is there one guilty party – or multiple villains?
Here our Political Editor Glen Owen examines the evidence – and reveals the most likely culprits.
Leak 1: ‘Chatty Rat’ reveals details of a second lockdown
Plans for England’s second lockdown were leaked last November on a Friday night after a meeting attended by just four Cabinet Ministers – the ‘quad’ of Boris Johnson, Chancellor Rishi Sunak, Health Secretary Matt Hancock and Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove.
The details of the Ministers’ conclusions, briefed to newspapers that evening, led to an extraordinary scramble at No 10 to arrange a special Saturday press conference to make the announcement. The move infuriated Boris Johnson, who felt ‘bounced’ into the lockdown.
A senior source told The Mail on Sunday that ‘our rat, whoever it is, seems to be very chatty at the moment’ – and the leaker has been known as the ‘Chatty Rat’ ever since.
The details of the Ministers’ conclusions, briefed to newspapers that evening, led to an extraordinary scramble at No 10 to arrange a special Saturday press conference to make the announcement
Cabinet Secretary Simon Case launched an investigation which led to the security services swooping on the homes of Ministers and their aides to seize their phones.
The suspects
Pro-lockdown ‘doves’ such as Mr Hancock or Mr Gove – or their advisers. Dominic Cummings was accused of being the Chatty Rat by No 10 last week. But the MoS was told in November that investigators were ’90 per cent sure’ that the rat was a Gove adviser.
In his incendiary blog post on Friday, Mr Cummings said the investigation had concluded that Henry Newman, a former Gove aide who now works in No 10, was the Chatty Rat – but that Mr Johnson had buried the findings because Newman is a friend of his fiancee Carrie Symonds.
No 10 says the investigation is still continuing six months later.
Our verdict
It all points to a ‘dove’ aide such as Mr Newman (who denies it). But No 10 officials insist Mr Cummings remains their prime suspect.
n his incendiary blog post on Friday, Mr Cummings said the investigation had concluded that Henry Newman, a former Gove aide who now works in No 10, was the Chatty Rat – but that Mr Johnson had buried the findings because Newman is a friend of his fiancee Carrie Symonds
Leak 2: Bad dog! The misbehaviour of Dilyn
In February, it was reported that Mr Johnson was furious with his dog Dilyn because he chewed furniture at Chequers and cocked a leg on an aide’s handbag.
An insider says that the PM called for someone to ‘shoot that f****** dog’ after Dilyn disturbed a meeting.
Friends of Ms Symonds then told The Mail on Sunday that Mr Cummings was briefing against Dilyn as he harboured a grudge against the animal because it once ‘humped his leg’.
They also said the pet was being used to fight a proxy war against the PM’s fiancee.
The suspects
Dominic Cummings, or friends of Ms Symonds retelling the story out of amusement rather than malice.
Our verdict
Dominic Cummings.
Friends of Ms Symonds then told The Mail on Sunday that Mr Cummings was briefing against Dilyn as he harboured a grudge against the animal because it once ‘humped his leg’
Leak 3: Tory donors and Wallpapergate
Mr Johnson was revealed earlier this year to have ordered a six-figure redecoration of his Downing Street flat, including designer furniture from Lulu Lytle, then tapped up Conservative donors to contribute towards the cost.
After the Electoral Commission quizzed Tory chiefs over the refit, Mr Johnson was last week forced to pay £58,000 from his own pocket towards it.
In his blog on Friday, Mr Cummings said he had warned Mr Johnson that the proposal was ‘unethical, foolish and possibly illegal’, adding that he had refused to help to arrange any such payments.
The suspects
Dominic Cummings or ‘Redthroat’, the name given to a Labour mole (or moles) suspected of leaking secret government information to Sir Keir Starmer’s officials, who then hand details to friendly media.
Our verdict
Dominic Cummings.
Mr Johnson was revealed earlier this year to have ordered a six-figure redecoration of his Downing Street flat, including designer furniture from Lulu Lytle (pictured), then tapped up Conservative donors to contribute towards the cost
Leak 4: The Cameron lobbying scandal
A series of leaks have revealed the lobbying activities of David Cameron on behalf of Greensill Capital, in which he had a commercial interest.
They include sending text messages to Chancellor Rishi Sunak in an attempt to gain access to a Covid loan scheme and contacting Treasury Ministers Jesse Norman and John Glen.
Lex Greensill, the company’s founder, had worked inside No 10 when Mr Cameron was PM and the Labour Party obtained his business card, which it passed to the BBC.
The suspects
Redthroat or Dominic Cummings.
Our verdict
Redthroat.
A series of leaks have revealed the lobbying activities of David Cameron on behalf of Greensill Capital, in which he had a commercial interest
Leak 5: The Dyson tax texts controversy
The BBC obtained a series of leaked texts between Sir James Dyson and Mr Johnson in which the Prime Minister promised the entrepreneur that he would ‘fix’ a tax rule to help Dyson staff make ventilators for the NHS.
Sir James said he wanted to be sure his staff would not have to pay extra tax if they travelled to Britain to work on the ventilators last year.
When he did not receive a reply to a letter he sent to the Treasury about it, he took up the matter with the PM.
Mr Johnson replied: ‘I will fix it tomo! We need you.’ The PM then texted Sir James again and referred to Chancellor Rishi Sunak, saying: ‘Rishi says it is fixed!! We need you here.’
The suspects
Downing Street blamed Mr Cummings in a briefing last week. But Mr Cummings is understood to be able to prove that the screenshot of the text exchanges were attached to an email sent from Sir James’s office to the Treasury, which was then circulated in Whitehall to between 30 and 40 officials – not including Mr Cummings.
Our verdict
Redthroat.
Leak 6: Is Cummings the ‘Chatty Rat’?
Three national newspapers ran claims on Friday morning that Mr Cummings was using ‘damaging’ leaks to seek revenge against the Prime Minister because he was enraged by the Government’s soaring poll lead since he was forced out of Downing Street and the success of the vaccine rollout.
A ‘No 10 source’ cited the Dyson texts and the ‘Chatty Rat’ row.
In his blog, Mr Cummings pointed the finger at Downing Street’s new director of communications Jack Doyle – but the MoS understands that the Prime Minister contacted newspaper editors directly.
The suspects
Boris Johnson, Jack Doyle.
Our verdict
Boris Johnson.