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Oliver Lewis quits as head of No 10's union unit after two weeks

Key aide’s departure continues clearout of former Vote Leave staffers in Boris Johnson’s inner circle
The clearout of former Vote Leave staffers in Boris Johnson’s inner circle has continued with the departure of Oliver Lewis, a key aide who was appointed to head the No 10 unit devoted to keeping the union together just over a fortnight ago.
Lewis, who was head of research at the Vote Leave campaign under Dominic Cummings, acted as the de facto deputy to David Frost when he negotiated the UK’s Brexit deal.
Friends said Lewis had decided to resign, as he felt his position inside Downing Street had become untenable – with one suggesting he had been accused of leaking to the press.
“He was loyal to Boris for more than five years: he’s done an awful lot for the administration,” said one senior Tory.
No 10 has been beset by bitter internal power struggles in recent months, most dramatically the departure in November of Cummings, Johnson’s chief aide, shortly after the resignation of another Vote Leave alumnus, the then head of communications, Lee Cain.
Those departures were spurred after Cain’s promotion to chief of staff was blocked by Johnson’s fiancee, Carrie Symonds. The loss of Lewis is also likely to be seen as connected to the continued tussles for influence inside No 10.
It is nonetheless a surprise, with Lewis’s position appearing cemented earlier this month when he was put in charge of the union unit, the section inside No 10 devoted to policies aimed at maintaining the union.
The appointments of Allegra Stratton as Johnson’s press secretary and former civil servant Dan Rosenfield as his chief of staff were meant to mark a professionalisation of the No 10 operation, in place of Cummings’s idiosyncratic management style.
But there are continued reports of tensions inside Downing Street. Lewis replaced the former Scottish Conservative MP Luke Graham shortly after Johnson made a visit to Scotland to push his pro-union message.
It is unclear who will take on the critical role, with Scottish independence deemed a growing threat inside government as the Holyrood elections loom.
The Scottish National party’s Westminster deputy leader, Kirsten Oswald, said: “Boris Johnson’s taxpayer-funded anti-independence campaign is completely falling apart. As support for independence grows, the Tories are losing advisers like rats on a sinking ship.”
Lewis’s departure followed the unexpected promotion of Frost to a seat around the cabinet table earlier this week.
Frost’s new role, in which he will also chair the partnership council overseeing the implementation of the EU trade agreement he negotiated, came after several allies of Michael Gove were given plum jobs in No 10, which reportedly irked the Tory peer.
Frost had previously been earmarked by Johnson as national security adviser – an appointment openly criticised by former prime minister Theresa May because of his lack of foreign policy expertise.
He was then shifted to a role as international policy adviser, focused on Brexit – but friends say he threatened to resign earlier this week, amid concerns about reporting lines in No 10.
Gove’s allies have insisted he was not put out by the pugnacious Frost’s elevation, which appeared to sideline Gove from involvement in implementing Brexit, including the Northern Ireland protocol – previously a central part of his role.
“David is a proven negotiatior and will sort out all outstanding issues with the protocol,” said a source close to Gove. However, Frost is regarded by his EU counterparts as a hardliner, whose elevation is unlikely to smooth fraught relations over the protocol.
source: Peter Walker
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- April 23, 2025
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Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”
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