Business for Sterling director joins Tories
Dominic Cummings is stepping down as head of the anti-euro pressure group Business for Sterling to take up the newly-created post of chief strategist in the Tory party, reports the Telegraph.
Mr Cummings joined Business for Sterling as head of research in 1999, and became its campaign director last year. Mr Cummings, 30, was chosen to lead the Tory strategist team in part because of his youth and his experience, but also because Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith admires his work on the No campaign.
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Since becoming campaign director, Mr Cummings has tried to build a cross-party coalition against the euro, and for this reason has been keeping the Conservative party at arms length. Now, he is inviting criticism by taking up the position of head of strategy.
"Dominic Cummings has recognised that Iain Duncan Smith leads the 'No' campaign, not Business for Sterling," said Simon Buckby, campaign director of the pro-euro organisation Britain in Europe. "He has left the monkey to join the organ grinder."
Janet Bush, co-director of the No campaign, expressed regret over Mr Cummings' departure. "We are very sorry to see Dominic go but enormously reassured that someone who has always insisted that the euro must be fought from a cross-party coalition platform is to have such an important role in the Conservative Party."
