Matt Hancock aide called Cummings a ‘psychopath’, leaked messages show
Matt Hancock’s adviser called Dominic Cummings a “f****** piece of s***” as he accused Boris Johnson’s former aide of “relentlessly” briefing against the former health secretary, the latest set of leaked WhatsApp messages reveal.
Jamie Njoku-Goodwin made the remark on the same day Mr Cummings, who had been Mr Johnson’s most senior adviser, used a parliamentary committee hearing to describe the Department of Health and Social Care as reduced to a “smoking ruin” by the pandemic.
Mr Hancock, who was health secretary during much of the pandemic, messaged on the day of the hearing in March 2021: “How would you deal with this Cummings crap?”
His adviser responded: “I was about to message. What a f***ing piece of s***. You went out and backed him over Barnard castle, and he responds by briefing against you relentlessly, in private and now in public. He’s a psychotherapist.”
He swiftly corrects himself: “Psychopath.”
The government was forced to defend Mr Cummings after he drove to County Durham beauty spot Barnard Castle during the first lockdown.
In May 2020, the WhatsApp messages show Mr Hancock had requested that Mr Njoku-Goodwin “draft a supportive tweet” after calls for Mr Cummings’ resignation over the lockdown breach.
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Leaked WhatsApp messages from Matt Hancock
The latest set of leaked messages also reveal then-chancellor Rishi Sunak told Mr Hancock that Mr Cummings’ time in Downing Street was a “nightmare”.
The remark was made on the day former Number 10 aide Mr Cummings used an appearance in front of MPs to claim thousands of people needlessly died during the pandemic.
Mr Hancock messaged Mr Sunak: “Of all the bonkersness (sic) about Dom’s circus, the one I enjoy most is that he’s doing this to secure his place at the heart of the future Sunak administration.”
Mr Sunak, who in 2021 was seen as ambitious for the top job, said: “Ha! Ironic given I haven’t spoken to him since he left!”
“It’s just awful & a stark reminder of how hard governing was,” Mr Hancock replies.
Mr Sunak agrees: “It was such a difficult time for all of us. A nightmare I hope we never ever have to repeat.”
The details emerged in the latest tranche of leaked messages from former health secretary Mr Hancock, published by the Daily Telegraph.
Read more about Matt Hancock’s leaked messages:
The key exchanges
Hancock reacts to footage of affair
Who is Isabel Oakeshott?
Other messages show that on a number of occasions, Mr Hancock expressed concern that Mr Sunak’s signature Eat Out to Help Out initiative was contributing to the spread of COVID-19 – dubbing it the “eat out to help the virus get about”.
Concerns have been expressed subsequently that the scheme could have contributed to the spread of the virus.
The messages also show Mr Hancock attempting to get the support of Cabinet Secretary Simon Case in challenging the stance of Mr Sunak and others over certain pandemic-era rules, with the top civil servant – who is required to be politically neutral – complaining about “pure Conservative ideology” on the part of one senior minister.
In one message from October 2020, Mr Hancock appears to hit out at Mr Sunak’s attitude about lockdowns, writing: “What’s Rishi’s dilemma? Whether to stop the virus, or tilt at the party & show ankle to the hard right?”
The exchanges were among more than 100,000 messages passed to the Telegraph by the journalist Isabel Oakeshott.
Matt Hancock with Isabel Oakeshott, the journalist who leaked the messages. Pic: Parsons Media
She was originally given the material by Mr Hancock while they were collaborating on his memoir of his time in government during the pandemic.
Mr Hancock has condemned the leak as a “massive betrayal” designed to support an “anti-lockdown agenda”.
In a statement this week, Mr Hancock said that all the materials for his book have been made available to the official COVID-19 inquiry.
Ms Oakeshott has said the disclosures are in the public interest.
The paper also published messages showing Mr Hancock and his officials scrambling to save the health secretary’s career after footage emerged of his embrace with aide Gina Coladangelo.
A spokesman for Mr Hancock said: “There’s nothing new in these messages, and absolutely no public interest in publishing them given the independent inquiry has them all. It’s highly intrusive, completely inappropriate and has all been discussed endlessly before.”
Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch has called on Sir Keir Starmer to sack Treasury minister Tulip Siddiq over allegations she lived in properties linked to allies of her aunt, Sheikh Hasina, the deposed prime minister of Bangladesh.
It comes after the current Bangladeshi leader, Muhammad Yunus, said London properties used by Ms Siddiq should be investigated.
He told the Sunday Times the properties should be handed back to his government if they were acquired through “plain robbery”.
Tory leader Ms Badenoch said: “It’s time for Keir Starmer to sack Tulip Siddiq.
“He appointed his personal friend as anti-corruption minister and she is accused herself of corruption.
“Now the government of Bangladesh is raising serious concerns about her links to the regime of Sheikh Hasina.”
Ms Siddiq insists she has “done nothing wrong”.
Her aunt was ousted from office in August following an uprising against her 20-year leadership and fled to India.
Ms Siddiq is also named with her aunt in Bangladesh court documents about meetings with the Russian government.
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch has called on Sir Keir to sack the minister
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As economic secretary to the Treasury, Ms Siddiq is responsible for policy on both the City and tackling corruption.
She referred herself to the prime minister’s ethics watchdog on Monday following the reports about the properties.
On the same day, the prime minister said: “Tulip Siddiq has acted entirely properly by referring herself to the independent adviser, as she’s now done, and that’s why we brought into being the new code.
“It’s to allow ministers to ask the adviser to establish the facts, and yes, I’ve got confidence in her, and that’s the process that will now be happening.”
Police in Aberdeen have widened the search area for two sisters who disappeared four days ago in the city.
Eliza and Henrietta Huszti, both 32, were last seen on CCTV on Market Street after leaving their home on Tuesday at around 2.12am.
The sisters – who are part of a set of triplets and originally from Hungary – crossed the Victoria Bridge to the Torry area and turned right on to a footpath next to the River Dee.
Eliza and Henrietta Huszti were last seen on CCTV in Market Street. Pic: Police Scotland/PA
They headed in the direction of Aberdeen Boat Club but officers said there is no evidence to suggest the missing women left the immediate area.
Specialist search teams, police dogs and a marine unit have been trying to trace the pair.
The sisters crossed Victoria Bridge before walking along a footpath next to the River Dee
The pair were heading in the direction of Aberdeen Boat Club on the south side of the River Dee
Further searches are being carried out towards the Port of Aberdeen’s South Harbour and Duthie Park.
Police Scotland said it is liaising with authorities in Hungary to support the relatives of the two sisters.
Chief Inspector Darren Bruce said: “Eliza and Henrietta’s family are understandably extremely worried about them and we are working tirelessly to find them.
“We are seriously concerned about them and have significant resources dedicated to the inquiry.”
The sisters, from Aberdeen city centre, are described as slim with long brown hair.
Henrietta Huszti. Pic: Police Scotland
Eliza Huszti. Pic: Police Scotland
Officers have requested businesses in and around the South Esplanade and Menzies Road area to review their CCTV footage for the early morning of Tuesday 7 January.
Police added they are keen to hear from anyone with dashcam footage from that time.
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