One of Boris Johnson’s closest aides, director of communications Lee Cain, has resigned amid reports of internal tensions in Downing Street.
In a statement he said he was leaving next month, despite having been offered the role of No 10 chief of staff.
Mr Cain has worked with the prime minister for several years.
His departure prompted speculation about the future of Dominic Cummings, the PM’s chief adviser, but the BBC was told he would not be quitting.
Mr Cummings and Mr Cain are long-time colleagues, having worked together on the Leave campaign during the EU referendum.
BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg said that, despite the departure of his close ally, Mr Cummings would be staying on for now.
The news that Mr Cain could become the PM’s chief of staff had led to consternation among some MPs, some ministers, and other insiders in government, our political editor added.
One Tory source even suggested that Mr Johnson’s fiancee, Carrie Symonds, had misgivings about that plan.
Our political editor said that allies of Mr Cain were unhappy about how he had been treated, which prompted initial speculation about Mr Cummings’s own future and those of other No 10 aides.
She added: “This is about who is running the country. It’s not just about whether a man, who you probably haven’t heard of, has fallen out with a politician… after months of strain, and fractures inside a government under pressure, tensions are spilling fully into the open.”
However, government sources said one of those aides, David Frost, the PM’s chief Brexit negotiator who is leading the UK’s trade talks with the EU, would be remaining in his post.
Mr Cain, who is set to step down next month, is expected to be replaced by the PM’s chief spokesman James Slack.
The prime minister is looking to fill the post of chief of staff as part of a wider reorganisation, which will see ex-BBC journalist Allegra Stratton take on a role fronting new daily televised press briefings.
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