Boris Johnson was warned about 'picking a fight' with Manchester United star Marcus Rashford over the government's free school meals policy, Dominic Cummings has claimed.
The former chief advisor to the Prime Minister made the admission while giving evidence to the Commons Health and Social Care and Science and Technology Committees today.
Mr Cummings rejected that there were major communications issues throughout the pandemic.
Instead, he said there was 'bad policy, bad decisions, bad planning, bad operational capability' that could not be effectively conveyed.
"Like the whole thing Rashford," he told the committee.
"The communications director said to the PM twice 'do not pick a fight with Rashford. Obviously we should do this instead'.
"The Prime Minister decided to pick a fight and then surrendered twice.
"After that everyone said 'your communications are stupid'.
"No, what's stupid is picking a fight with Rashford over school meals.
"What should have happened was just getting the school meals policy right."
Manchester United star Rashford was hailed a hero after forcing the government to do a U-turn on its free school meals policy last summer.
The Wythenshawe-born striker repeated his success with the Christmas holiday policy too, with his petition to extend free meals into the school holidays gaining more than one million signatures.
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