UK’s top civil servant said Boris Johnson ‘cannot lead’, COVID inquiry WhatsApps reveal
The UK’s top civil servant said Boris Johnson “cannot lead” in a withering assessment at the height of the pandemic, WhatsApps shared with the official COVID-19 inquiry have revealed.
Cabinet secretary Simon Case messaged former chief of staff Dominic Cummings while the coronavirus pandemic ripped through Britain, saying the then-Prime Minister’s behaviour left him “at the end of my tether”, the UK COVID-19 Inquiry has heard.
The message from Case, who is currently signed off on medical leave, was read by counsel to the inquiry Hugo Keith KC and said: “I am at the end of my tether.
“He changes strategic direction every day (Monday we were all about fear of virus returning as per Europe, March etc – today we’re in ‘let it rip’ mode cos (sic) the UK is pathetic, needs a cold shower etc.)
“He cannot lead and we cannot support him in leading with this approach.”
Case’s highly critical comments also saw him apparently describe senior government figures during the COVID crisis as “weak”.
The message named former health secretary Matt Hancock, former education secretary Gavin Williamson, and NHS Test and Trace chief Dido Harding, as well as the most senior officials in Downing Street, the Cabinet Office and departmental permanent secretaries.
“The team captain cannot change the call on the big plays every day,” Case wrote. “The team can’t deliver anything under these circumstances.
“A weak team (as we have got — Hancock, Williamson, Dido, No10/CO, Perm Secs), definitely cannot succeed in these circs (sic). IT HAS TO STOP!
“Decide and set direction — deliver — explain. Gov’t isn’t actually that hard but this guy is really making it impossible.”
The damning messages came to light as key figures from Johnson’s time in No10 gave evidence to the official inquiry.
Martin Reynolds, the then prime minister’s principal private secretary during the pandemic, who became known as ‘Party Marty’ after circulating an invite to a ‘BYOB’ event in No10’s garden during lockdown, told the inquiry Johnson didn’t know his messages would be public.
A message from Case read: “PM is mad if he doesn’t think his WhatsApps will become public via COVID inquiry.”
Asked to clarify, Reynolds, who told the inquiry he switched on a disappearing messages function in WhatsApp as he may have been worried about screenshots and leaks, said: “I imagine he hadn’t realised all of his WhatApps would become public via the COVID Inquiry.”
The inquiry continues.