COVID Inquiry: Head of civil service said Boris Johnson ‘can’t lead’ and made it ‘impossible’ to govern

Published

1 year ago

October 30, 2023

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The UK’s top civil servant described “being at the end of my tether” over Boris Johnson’s indecision during the pandemic and said he “cannot lead”.

WhatsApp messages shown to the COVID inquiry on Monday reveal the then prime minister’s leadership ability frustrated some of the most senior figures in government.

Politics Live: WhatsApps by aides of Boris Johnson revealed

In one particularly disparaging message from September 2020, Cabinet Secretary Simon Case said Mr Johnson “cannot lead and we cannot support him in leading with this approach”.

Mr Case, in a group that included then chief advisor Dominic Cummings, 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.

“The team captain cannot change the call on the big plays every day. The team can’t deliver anything under these circumstances.”

Mr Case goes on to admonish a “weak team”, appearing to name former health secretary Matt Hancock and former education secretary Gavin Williamson, saying we “definitely cannot succeed in these circs (sic). IT HAS TO STOP!”.

He added: “Decide and set direction – deliver – explain. Gov’t isn’t actually that hard but this guy is really making it impossible.”

Mr Cummings replied: “Totally agree, am getting lots of despairing messages from people in [meetings] with him.”

Later in the conversation, Mr Cummings said that “as always, discussions with these ministers is moronic. They cannot understand priorities”.

Mr Case replied that the government “doesn’t have the credibility needed to be imposing stuff within only days of deciding not to”.

“We look like a terrible, tragic joke,” he said.

Lee Cain, the Downing Street director of communications, responded with a trolley emoji.

The messages were read out at a hearing in which Martin Reynolds – the former principle private secretary to Mr Johnson – was called to give evidence.

Mr Reynolds admitted Mr Johnson “could blow hot and cold” on some issues.

Asked if that included the “most vital issues which his government faced”, Mr Reynolds said: “Yes, but also the most difficult choices the country was facing – both of which had very difficult consequences.”

The inquiry was also shown a number of extracts from chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance’s notebooks, including one which said Mr Johnson is “simply not consistent” on COVID.

A string of embarrassing messages have already been released to the inquiry, including how Mr Johnson described long COVID as “b*******” and that his wife, Carrie, had been described as “the real person in charge” by Mr Case.

‘Culture of chaos’

The Liberal Democrats said the messages lay bare “the culture of chaos in Number 10”.

Health and Social Care spokesperson Daisy Cooper said: “Warring factions, senior figures spinning in circles, and a complete inability to get to grips with any of the major issues facing our COVID response: bereaved families will feel sick to their stomachs hearing about this litany of failings which led to so much unnecessary suffering.

“Many will rightly be furious. Their actions have caused irreparable damage to trust in politics and put millions through unnecessary pain. It is unforgivable.”

Mr Reynolds was infamously nicknamed “Party Marty” after writing a notorious “bring your own booze” email to Downing Street staff during the first lockdown – something he said he was “deeply sorry for” at his hearing today.

The lengthy session also heard how WhatsApp messages in a Boris Johnson group chat were “set to disappear” as calls for a COVID inquiry grew, and that the former PM “did not realise” the messages he sent on the app would eventually be made public at the inquiry.

Mr Reynolds is the first of several senior Downing Street officials giving evidence to the probe this week.

Mr Cain is expected to give evidence tomorrow after today’s session ran over, followed by Mr Cummings – who is expected to dish the dirt on his old boss.

The first part of the inquiry looked at the UK’s resilience and preparedness for a pandemic while the second part, which started this month, focuses on “core decision making and political governance” and will also see Mr Johnson give evidence.

Politics

Wolf Capital co-founder pleads guilty to $9.4M Ponzi, promised 547% returns

Published

9 hours ago

January 11, 2025

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Wolf Capital co-founder pleads guilty to .4M Ponzi, promised 547% returns

According to the US Department of Justice, Wolf Capital’s co-founder has pleaded guilty to wire fraud conspiracy for luring 2,800 crypto investors into a Ponzi scheme.

Politics

Rachel Reeves lands in China amid pressure to cancel trip over market turmoil

Published

10 hours ago

January 11, 2025

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Rachel Reeves lands in China amid pressure to cancel trip over market turmoil

Making Britain better off will be “at the forefront of the chancellor’s mind” during her visit to China, the Treasury has said amid controversy over the trip.

Rachel Reeves flew out on Friday after ignoring calls from opposition parties to cancel the long-planned venture because of market turmoil at home.

The past week has seen a drop in the pound and an increase in government borrowing costs, which has fuelled speculation of more spending cuts or tax rises.

The Tories have accused the chancellor of having “fled to China” rather than explain how she will fix the UK’s flatlining economy, while the Liberal Democrats say she should stay in Britain and announce a “plan B” to address market volatility.

However, Ms Reeves has rejected calls to cancel the visit, writing in The Times on Friday night that choosing not to engage with China is “no choice at all”.

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The chancellor will be accompanied by Bank of England governor Andrew Bailey and other senior executives.

She will meet with her counterpart, Vice Premier He Lifeng, in Beijing on Saturday to discuss financial services, trade and investment.

She will also “raise difficult issues”, including Chinese firms supporting Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and concerns over constraints on rights and freedoms in Hong Kong, the Treasury said.

But it did not mention whether Ms Reeves would raise the treatment of the Uyghur community, which Downing Street said Foreign Secretary David Lammy would do during his visit last year.

On Friday, Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy defended the trip, telling Sky News that the climbing cost of government borrowing was a “global trend” that had affected many countries, “most notably the United States”.

“We are still on track to be the fastest growing economy, according to the OECD [Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development] in Europe,” she told Anna Jones on Sky News Breakfast.

“China is the second-largest economy, and what China does has the biggest impact on people from Stockton to Sunderland, right across the UK, and it’s absolutely essential that we have a relationship with them.”

Read more – Ed Conway analysis: The chancellor’s gamble with China

However, former prime minister Boris Johnson said Ms Reeves had “been rumbled” and said she should “make her way to HR and collect her P45 – or stay in China”.

While in the country’s capital, Ms Reeves will also visit British bike brand Brompton’s flagship store, which relies heavily on exports to China, before heading to Shanghai for talks with representatives across British and Chinese businesses.

It is the first UK-China Economic and Financial Dialogue (EFD) since 2019, building on the Labour government’s plan for a “pragmatic” policy with the world’s second-largest economy.

Sir Keir Starmer was the first British prime minister to meet with China’s President Xi Jinping in six years at the G20 summit in Brazil last autumn.

Relations between the UK and China have become strained over the last decade as the Conservative government spoke out against human rights abuses and concerns grew over national security risks.

Navigating this has proved tricky given China is the UK’s fourth largest single trading partner, with a trade relationship worth almost £113bn and exports to China supporting over 455,000 jobs in the UK in 2020, according to the government.

During the Tories’ 14 years in office, the approach varied dramatically from the “golden era” under David Cameron to hawkish aggression under Liz Truss, while Rishi Sunak vowed to be “robust” but resisted pressure from his own party to brand China a threat.

The Treasury said a stable relationship with China would support economic growth and that “making working people across Britain secure and better off is at the forefront of the chancellor’s mind”.

Ahead of her visit, Ms Reeves said: “By finding common ground on trade and investment, while being candid about our differences and upholding national security as the first duty of this government, we can build a long-term economic relationship with China that works in the national interest.”