BORIS Johnson was described as a “weak and indecisive” prime minister by furious aides during the pandemic, explosive WhatsApp messages have revealed.
One lengthy message from Cabinet Secretary Simon Case said that he was at the “end of his tether” over Johnson’s actions during the height of the pandemic during an exchange with Dominic Cummings.
In the message, read out to the inquiry, Case, the head of the UK civil service, 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 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.
“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.”
In response, Dominic Cummings agreed and said Johnson was "careering around on WhatsApp as usual creating chaos and undermining everybody".
Inquiry counsel Hugo Keith KC also referred to comments previously heard by the inquiry describing Johnson’s “ridiculous flip-flopping” – a note from former chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance – and the Government looking like a “terrible, tragic joke”, a comment made by Case.
Another read “we have a weak and indecisive prime minister”, although it was not stated who had made that comment.
Keith put it to Johnson’s former principal private secretary Martin Reynolds: “In the face of a viral pandemic, if those views are right, that was a deeply unfortunate position to be in, was it not?”
Reynolds replied: “Yes.”
Reynolds (below) was asked about a report he and deputy cabinet secretary Helen MacNamara helped write in May 2020, amid concerns about “discipline”, “macho behaviour” and “misogyny”.
Keith said: “The report showed, did it not, dysfunctionality, lack of discipline, chaos and a significant degree of misogyny.”
Reynolds responded: “I agree.”
Keith continued: “Women were talked over. People shouted at each other. There were too many people in meetings. Did you talk the prime minister through this report?”
“Yes I believe I did,” Reynolds responded.
Later, 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 Johnson.
Keith 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?”
Shafi replied: “Yes.”
Keith continued: “None of that lent itself well to the best sort of decision-making did it?”
To which Shafi said: “No.”
It comes as Reynolds apologised for his role in the partygate scandal, while the inquiry heard details about Dominic Cummings trip to Barnard Castle.
Former cabinet secretary Mark Sedwill said Johnson put “his own and the Government’s credibility on the line” when he was prime minister over the trip by Cummings to County Durham.
"People are genuinely angry. This isn’t just a bubble story," Sedwill said in a message exchange with Reynolds ahead of the press conference given by Cummings (below) in the Number 10 rose garden.
And, Vallance, the Government's former chief scientific adviser, described Cummings’s Barnard Castle lockdown trip as a “fiasco” and something that was “clearly against the rules”.
An extract from Vallance's notebooks dated May 25 2020, appearing to refer to an easing of lockdown, said: “PM seems very bullish and wants to have everything released sooner and more extremely than we would.
“Wants to divert from the [Cummings] fiasco (caught have gone to Durham – clearly against the rules). All very worrying. Cabinet all upbeat and ‘breezy confidence’ – incredibly alarming."
