Who is Dominic Cummings? Brexit's Vote Leave strategist played by Benedict Cumberbatch in new Channel 4 drama
The one-off drama explores the campaign behind one of the most contested votes in modern history. But just who is Dominic Cummings?
Who is Dominic Cummings?
Dominic Cummings has been described as the mastermind of the Brexit campaign.
He is a political adviser and strategist, and served as the Campaign Director of Vote Leave.
Cummings is a former special adviser to Michael Gove.
Born in Durham, he is the son of an oil rig project manager and a special needs teacher.
Cummings attended Durham School and Exeter College, Oxford, graduating in 1994 with a First in Ancient and Modern History.
In 2011, he married Mary Wakefield, deputy editor of The Spectator.
When did he join the Vote Leave campaign?
Cummings became Campaign Director of Vote Leave upon the creation of the organisation in October 2015.
He is credited with having created the official slogan of Vote Leave, "Take back control" and with being the leading strategist of the campaign.
Cummings was questioned and criticised by MPs at the Treasury Select Committee in April 2016 for creating misleading leaflets for the Leave campaign.
His campaign strategy was summarised as: "Don’t talk about immigration"; "Do talk about business"; "Don’t make the referendum final"; "Do keep mentioning the Charter of Fundamental Rights and the over-reach of the European Union’s Court of Justice".
Vote Leave emerged victorious in the June 2016 referendum which resulted in a 52 per cent vote to leave the European Union.
He was named as one of "Debrett's 500 2016" people of influence.
Cummings’ involvement in the Brexit campaign is still being examined by authorities.
MPs have formally requested that he appear in front of a select committee to answer questions, while the Electoral Commission is investigating whether his campaign broke spending rules.
What is the new Brexit film all about?
Channel 4 will air a two-hour long film on January 7, 2019, based upon how the Leave campaign won the referendum in June 2016.
Sherlock star Benedict Cumberbatch is set to play the role of Dominic Cummings, the Vote Leave campaign director, in the film titled Brexit: The Uncivil War.
Rory Kinnear will play Craig Oliver.
The one-off drama explores the campaign behind one of the most contested votes in history, as well as the sometimes tempestuous relationship Cummings had with those around him.
The film has been written by James Graham and will explore everything from street campaigns to top political influence to put together a picture of the successful campaign.
Brexit: The Uncivil War airs on Channel 4 on Monday, January 7, at 9pm.
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