Related video: David Cameron heckled at Covid inquiry
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Boris Johnson has been accused of a “mad and dangerous” response to the Covid pandemic comparable to Donald Trump’s handling of the crisis.
The exchanges between Simon Case, the government’s top civil servant, and officials were shown on Monday to the inquiry into how the government handled the worst health crisis in almost a century.
When the government was reopening after the first lockdown, Case said Mr Johnson wanted to let the virus “rip” and compared his approach to that of the former US President and Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro.
“This is in danger of becoming Trump/Bolsonaro level mad and dangerous,” Case told other colleagues.
It comes as diary extracts revealed chief scientific officer Sir Patrick Vallance accused Mr Johnson of “creating chaos” and being “completely inconsistent” during the pandemic.
Meanwhile, former top aide Martin Reynolds confirmed his internal report into government culture in spring 2020 found that female staff were being “talked over and ignored” in what showed a “significant degree of misogyny”.
Dominic Cummings, who served as the former prime minister’s chief of staff, and Lee Cain, Mr Johnson’s former communications chief, will be grilled at the inquiry later this week, alongside all Mr Johnson’s former aides.
Johnson’s response to Covid was ‘mad and dangerous’ - top official
Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's approach to dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic was "mad and dangerous" and his constant indecision made it "impossible" to tackle the virus, the government's top civil servant told officials.
The exchanges between Simon Case, the government's most senior official, and officials in which he also described Britain's response in 2020 as a "terrible, tragic joke", were shown on Monday to the inquiry into how the government handled the worst health crisis in almost a century.
In the autumn of 2020 when the government was discussing how to suppress the virus, Case said of Johnson: "He cannot lead and we cannot support him under these circumstances. The team captain cannot change the call on the big plays every day." He then wrote in capital letters: "IT HAS TO STOP".
Months earlier when the government was reopening after the first lockdown, Case said Johnson wanted to let the virus "rip" and compared Johnson's approach to the way US President Donald Trump and Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, who were known for dismissing the threat of Covid, were handling the crisis.
"This is in danger of becoming Trump/Bolsonaro level mad and dangerous," Case told other colleagues.
A spokesman for Johnson, who will appear as a witness in the inquiry in the future, declined to comment.
Simon Case, the current Cabinet Secretary, vented about the Prime Minister during the pandemic
Ex-No10 chief admits he ‘disappeared’ messages in PM’s group chat
One of Boris Johnson’s key aides turned messages to “disappear” in a key Covid WhatsApp group only weeks after the ex-PM promised a Covid public inquiry, it has been revealed.
Mr Reynolds, Mr Johnson’s principal private secretary, told the inquiry he “cannot recall exactly why I did so” – before adding that he did not believe it was to “prevent” the inquiry having access to the messages.
Adam Forrest, Political Correspondent reports:
I’ve retained my WhatsApp messages relating to Covid pandemic, says Humza Yousaf
Last week a note to the chairman of the UK Covid-19 Inquiry from one of its counsels said the inquiry was of the belief that the “majority” of informal messages, including on WhatsApp had “not been retained”.
The First Minister said on Monday he had retained his messages, but that there had been a Scottish government policy on social media messaging which advised their deletion after 30 days.
Women staff were being ‘talked over and ignored’, report into No 10 culture during pandemic finds
The report, by former top aide Martin Reynolds and then deputy cabinet secretary Helen MacNamara, was written in May 2020 amid concerns about discipline, “macho behaviour” and misogyny, the UK Covid-19 Inquiry heard yesterday.
Released as part of a batch of documents relevant to the inquiry, the report asked more than 45 people who worked closely with No 10 what could be done to better support the prime minister in May 2020.
Watch: Johnson stressed ‘need to avoid overreaction’ at start of pandemic
‘High degree of dysfunctionality’ dealing with Johnson, says Shafi
The former private secretary to the prime minister for public services, Imran Shafi, told the UK Covid-19 Inquiry there was a "high degree of dysfunctionality" when dealing with the then-PM Boris Johnson.
Counsel to the inquiry Hugo Keith KC asked the witness: "The material may suggest there were a number of competing power sources in Downing Street, personality clashes, and we can see... a high degree of dysfunctionality in terms of dealing with the prime minister - would you agree?"
Mr Shafi replied: "Yes."
Mr Keith continued: "None of that leant itself well to the best sort of decision-making did it?"
Mr Shafi said: "No."
The ‘wrecked’ lives of forgotten long Covid sufferers
Read more here:
Watch: Reynolds agrees Covid officials operated ‘without proper playbook’
Johnson ‘cannot lead’, says UK’s top civil servant
The UK's top civil servant vented that Boris Johnson "cannot lead" amid pandemic-era frustration with the prime minister's leadership, according to WhatsApp messages shared with the Covid-19 inquiry.
Simon Case, who remains Cabinet Secretary, told Mr Johnson's then-chief adviser Dominic Cummings that the prime minister was making government "impossible".
The private correspondence, which took place as the Government grappled with the spread of Covid, came during the appearance of former top aide Martin Reynolds at Lady Hallett's probe.
Mr Case, who has temporarily stepped back from his role due to a "private medical matter", told Mr Cummings that the PM "cannot lead and we cannot support him in leading with this approach".
In the message, read at the hearing, Mr Case 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).
"The team captain cannot change the call on the big plays every day. The team can't deliver anything under these circumstances. Decide and set direction - deliver - explain. Gov't isn't actually that hard but this guy is really making it impossible."
The UK’s top civil servant vented that Boris Johnson “cannot lead” amid pandemic-era frustration with the prime minister’s leadership, according to WhatsApp messages shared with the Covid-19 inquiry
Recap: Partygate was ‘ultimate insult’ to Covid bereaved, inquiry told
A woman who lost her partner to Covid has hit out at UK Government officials who held illegal lockdown parties, saying there was a “culture of contempt for the ordinary people” throughout the pandemic.
Jane Morrison, of Scottish Covid Bereaved, told the Scottish Covid-19 Inquiry on Friday of the hardship she faced after her partner, Jacky Morrison-Hart, died in 2020.
Ms Morrison-Hart, 49, had been admitted to hospital for a separate illness but contracted Covid-19 while at Ninewells Hospital, Dundee.
After battling the disease, she died a short time later in October 2020.
Ryan McDougall reports:
https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMibGh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmluZGVwZW5kZW50LmNvLnVrL25ld3MvdWsvcG9saXRpY3MvY292aWQtaW5xdWlyeS1saXZlLWRvd25pbmctc3RyZWV0LWJvcmlzLWpvaG5zb24tYjI0MzgyODIuaHRtbNIBAA?oc=5
2023-10-31 04:45:40Z
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