Government officials saw Boris Johnson’s wife Carrie as “the real person in charge” during the Covid pandemic, shocking new WhatsApp messages reveal.
Messages sent between civil service chief Simon Case and Mr Johnson’s then-communications head Lee Cain lay bare the disfunction at the heart of Downing Street at the time.
In a stunning exchange, published on Friday by the official Covid inquiry, Mr Case wrote: “I was always told that Dom [Dominic Cummings] was the secret PM. How wrong they are. I look forward to telling select cttee tomorrow – ‘oh, f*** no, don’t worry about Dom, the real person in charge is Carrie’.”
In another discussion, in response to a message from Mr Cain, who had asked: “Wtf are we talking about?”, Mr Case wrote: “Whatever Carrie cares about, I guess.”
The newly published messages also reveal that Mr Case, who was appointed by Mr Johnson, described the government as a “terrible, tragic joke”.
The senior civil servant, hired in September 2020 having previously worked as permanent secretary in Number 10, wrote that he was “not sure I can cope” amid frustration at how the pandemic was being handled in government.
But former culture secretary and staunch Johnson ally Nadine Dorries hit back, claiming the messages were from a group of “nasty misogynist bullies who have always tried to get to Boris through his wife”.
Writing on X, formerly Twitter, Ms Dorries said Ms Johnson “speaks to no one ever” and said allegations against her are part of a “campaign of hate”.
The messages were briefly flashed up on screen during Friday’s hearing of the UK Covid-19 Inquiry in London, as a letter to the inquiry from Mr Johnson’s adviser Dominic Cummings was shown and discussed.
The hearing is currently looking at core UK decision-making and political governance during the pandemic.
The letter contained an email dated July 13, 2020, which Mr Cummings said was “on the problems of the No 10/CabOff (Cabinet Office) set up that is relevant to the inquiry”.
Mr Cummings said it was copied to Mr Johnson “but he never engaged seriously”.
The WhatsApp messages appeared on screen above the email and are understood to have been from 14 October 2020.
Mr Case wrote: “Am not sure I can cope with today.
“Might just go home. Matt just called, having spoken to PM. According to Matt (so aim off, obvs), PM has asked Matt to work up regional circuit breakers for the North (as per Northern Ireland) today – and to bring recommendations. I am going to scream…”
Mr Cain, who was Mr Johnson’s director of communications until November 2020, replied: “Wtf are we talking about.”
Mr Case, in an apparent reference to Mr Johnson’s then-partner and now wife, Carrie Johnson, replied: “Whatever Carrie cares about, I guess.”
Further down the messages, Mr Case wrote: “This gov’t doesn’t have the credibility needed to be imposing stuff within only days of deciding not too (sic). We look like a terrible, tragic joke. If we were going hard, that decision was needed weeks ago. I cannot cope with this.”
