The briefings came as Boris Johnson's political advisor Dominic Cummings reportedly plotted a political takeover of the civil service. Sir Mark is to be replaced by David Frost, the UK's current chief EU negotiator - who has a limited background in security and is a political advisor. But Sir Mark, the most powerful official in Government, insisted he had "stepped down, in agreement" with the PM. He told MPs on the National Security Strategy Committee: "We had concluded it was time to split the jobs again and have a separate security adviser and separate cabinet secretary." But Sir Mark warned that civil service officials have become "fair game" in modern politics as he spoke out again on anonymous briefings against him.

Source: Daily Mirror July 08, 2020 16:23 UTC