'One of the most disgusting performances in public life that I can remember'

Ian Hislop savages Dominic Cummings

Ian Hislop has branded Dominic Cummings’ appearance at the Commons select committee this week as ‘one of the most disgusting performances in public life that I can remember’.

Speaking on tonight’s Have I Got News For You, the Private Eye editor says: ‘He did that classic thing at the start of saying it's all everybody else's fault. Would you believe it?

‘The government has really handled this very badly. If only there’d been someone at the heart of government who could have said "this whole thing is going wrong." Maybe an advisor… maybe a senior advisor…

‘It was one of the most disgusting performances in public life that I can remember.’

Host David Mitchell then asked: ‘Assuming we can believe a word the devious bastard says, who is to blame for everything?

‘The Prime Minister is to blame for everything, and the Prime Minister should never have become Prime Minister. Except this [Cummings] is the man who almost single-handedly worked to make him Prime Minister,’ replied Hislop.

‘It's absolutely extraordinary that he only noticed that the Prime Minister was utterly useless when he was sacked.

‘It just didn't occur to him the whole time he was on board with the project, and then suddenly, "Oh my goodness, I’ve suddenly realised… you’re an idiot, and so am I!’"

Hislop also joked: ‘It’s good that we've got David on tonight, because it’s an episode of Would I Lie To You? And the answer is, for everyone… yes they did.

‘[Cummings] said, "Boris Johnson is not fit to be Prime Minister." Of course he isn't, he appointed you! That doesn’t take eight hours, does it?’

Janey Godley and the Reverend Richard Coles are the guests on tonight’s episode, which airs on BBC One at 9pm.

Published: 28 May 2021