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Boris Johnson ‘isolated and at risk of becoming uncontrollable’

Analysis: Tory sources say PM’s aides are too inexperienced to handle toxic briefing wars in No 10
Boris Johnson is isolated in Downing Street with no longstanding trusted aides and at risk of becoming “uncontrollable”, Tory sources have said after he allegedly personally briefed against Dominic Cummings following confirmation that the prime minister had to foot a £58,000 refurbishment bill.
Several insiders who spoke to the Guardian described Johnson’s two closest advisers, – the cabinet secretary, Simon Case, and Downing Street chief of staff, Dan Rosenfield – as insufficiently politically experienced to handle the toxic briefing wars in No 10.
“The prime minister is being failed here,” one said. “There need to be interventions from his team but that isn’t happening. These are the moments when it matters – having people who can say no. He is surrounded now by people he doesn’t particularly trust or particularly know.”
Case appeared before a select committee on Monday but had to suffer repeated opprobrium from MPs for refusing to answer questions on a continuing inquiry into the leak of the November lockdown plans.
The so-called “chatty rat” inquiry was said by Cummings to have implicated Henry Newman, a close friend of Johnson’s fiancee, Carrie Symonds, though other sources have briefed that Cummings – formerly Johnson’s most senior aide – is not in the clear.
Another Whitehall source spoke of frustration that the government seemed to have lost credibility when denying claims on the record. On Monday, the prime minister and his spokesman denied that Johnson had said he would refuse to impose a third lockdown even if “bodies pile up high in their thousands”.“How have they got themselves in this horrible position where they can deny things on the record and the BBC will run it anyway because they think their own sources are more trustworthy?” the source said.
Johnson has seen the departure of a number of longtime close aides in recent months, including Cummings, his veteran director of communications, Lee Cain, who departed alongside him, and his one-time chief of staff Eddie Lister, who has been under scrutiny for his private sector connections. The only experienced Tory party communications expert who remains in his inner circle is Symonds.
A number of Tories questioned why Johnson had not been talked out of briefing newspapers – as is alleged – that Cummings was responsible for leaks and why he had yet again been dragged into a toxic Downing Street war when it had been widely briefed that that era was over with the departure of Cummings.
“We’ve got a massive majority – the main feeling I have is sadness that this is happening,” one said.
On Friday, the Cabinet Office confirmed in a statement to parliament that Johnson would pay £58,000 himself for refurbishment works on his Downing Street flat – cash he is accused of having originally solicited from donors.
One insider said the decision by the Cabinet Office to confirm Johnson would foot the bill himself was the straw that broke the prime minister’s back, and sent him into such a fury that he called newspaper editors to implicate Cummings as the leaker of multiple damaging stories. No 10 refused to deny that was how the news had been broken.
There is now significant disquiet in the building about what Cummings could say or do next. The former adviser has said he will give evidence to a committee of MPs on 26 May.
“I expected when Dom left government for him to just start publishing stuff on his blog, but I think he probably knows his reputation with the public is that what he says is not credible because of the Barnard Castle eyesight stuff so it makes more sense to get it into newspapers,” one former ally said.
“There are certain things that have the hallmarks of leaks from him – particular stories that damage Carrie and ones that might damage Eddie Lister, like the Saudi story, as well as the journalists he would be most likely to go to. I suspect No 10 doesn’t actually have any further proof than that.”
One former colleague of Cummings said he had never intended to leave government under a cloud and believed genuinely that much could be “left on good terms”.
There are still many strands of the lobbying scandal that can be pulled, from Johnson’s flat to the lobbying of Greensill Capital, the departure of Lister and the texts between Johnson and business leaders, as well as world figures such as the Saudi crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman.
One Tory source said the government was “lucky in a way to be fighting a war on so many fronts” and suggested it may mean the public may find the story confusing. They cited the Sunday Times story that Rosenfield and Johnson may have been warned in private about the European Super League. “Honestly, I think that has the potential to be the most damaging in the longer term,” the source said. “It could be career-ending if that happened on another day.”
source: Jessica Elgot
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BENEFIT AGM approves 10%...
- March 27, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).
Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.
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