As with the weekend of the Barnard Castle episode, it once again fell on Grant Shapps to go on TV and discuss the PM’s adviser while clearly hoping to talk about anything else. He claims Dom will be missed – note that’s not Shapps will miss him – saying he’s “enjoyed working with him” despite not having always agreed and told BBC Breakfast he’s not surprised Cummings is leaving. Guido suspects some fellow ministers would have struggled to be so diplomatic…

Last night the Telegraph reported five or six No. 10 aides in the Cummings camp have been mulling over whether to follow him out the door, however they might be premature; there are now rumours Cummings may leave Downing Street in January only to oversee Britain’s DARPA, Dom’s Advanced Research Projects Agency, where he would hot desk out of the Cabinet Office while working on pet projects. His WhatsApp profile bio lists his priorities as “GetBrexitDoneThenARPA” – referencing the Advanced Research Projects Agency set up by the US in 1958 that has had mixed results. Coincidentally, Sunak announced £800 million for such a “blue skies thinking agency” back in March…