Exclusive: Cummings blocks former MP Masterton’s appointment as Scottish adviser to government
Boris Johnson’s chief adviser Dominic Cummings has blocked the appointment of former MP Paul Masterton as a Scotland-based special adviser.
Masterton was the MP for East Renfrewshire for two years, but lost his seat in December after it swung back to SNP’s Kirsten Oswald.
He was tipped as making a return to the government as a Spad working on preparations for the forthcoming climate change conference Cop26, as well as on wider union issues in the face of a resurgent SNP demanding a second independence referendum.
But CityAM understands that Cummings has “killed it off”, with Westminster sources suggesting he was blocked in part over Masterton’s position on Brexit.
He resigned as a PPS to the Home Office in 2019, voting to block the government from pressing ahead with no deal, although he subsequently backed Number 10 saying he was a “moderate, pro-deal” MP.
Masterton did back Johnson during last summer’s leadership campaign – but only after coming out in support of Matt Hancock, Rory Stewart and Sajid Javid.
MPs and others in Westminster are said to be disappointed by Cummings’ move, with Masterton widely popular among his former colleagues. One source said he would have been “a natural hire”.
Number 10 did not respond to requests for a comment.
Cummings has been behind the sacking or departure of a number of special advisers, including the entire team working under former chancellor Sajid Javid as the Downing Street “turf war” erupted during the reshuffle.