Case did not want cab sec job, Cummings claims
01 Nov 2023 Coronavirus
Case did not want cab sec job, Cummings claims
Simon Case took the job “to forestall a disaster” after others turned it down, ex-spad tells Covid Inquiry
Covid Inquiry: Cummings lets rip at ‘dumpster fire’ Cabinet Office
01 Nov 2023 Coronavirus
Covid Inquiry: Cummings lets rip at ‘dumpster fire’ Cabinet Office
Former chief adviser bemoans “bloated” and “opaque” heart of government with “a lot of the wrong people in the wrong job”
Lee Cain: Comms professionals 'were shaping Covid policy because no one else was'
31 Oct 2023 Coronavirus
Lee Cain: Comms professionals 'were shaping Covid policy because no one else was'
Former No.10 comms director tells inquiry the Covid pandemic was the "wrong crisis" for Boris Johnson’s "skill set"
Case said Johnson 'cannot lead' on Covid and slammed 'weak' ministers and perm secs
31 Oct 2023 Coronavirus
Case said Johnson 'cannot lead' on Covid and slammed 'weak' ministers and perm secs
“A weak team… cannot succeed in these circumstances,” said Case, who was "at the end of [his] tether" with PM
Martin Reynolds: Cabinet Office failed to get on top of Covid crisis in early 2020
30 Oct 2023 Coronavirus
Martin Reynolds: Cabinet Office failed to get on top of Covid crisis in early 2020
Boris Johnson's ex- PPS also admits to setting messages in key WhatsApp group to delete after seven days
Covid Inquiry: Chief scientific adviser Angela McLean dubbed Sunak ‘Dr Death’
20 Oct 2023 Coronavirus
Covid Inquiry: Chief scientific adviser Angela McLean dubbed Sunak ‘Dr Death’
Texts also reveal expletive-filled exchange about fellow scientist as infections began to rise in autumn 2020
'No.10 always at war with someone': Memo reveals officials' frustrations during Covid response
17 Oct 2023 Coronavirus
'No.10 always at war with someone': Memo reveals officials' frustrations during Covid response
Helen MacNamara describes “explosions of new people causing chaos” and “fights over ownership” during pandemic
Arrogance among officials compromised Covid response, nudge unit boss claims
16 Oct 2023 Coronavirus
Arrogance among officials compromised Covid response, nudge unit boss claims
Government advisers accused of being reluctant to learn from other countries, inquiry documents show
‘I cannot cope with this’: Covid Inquiry messages show cab sec’s despair at policy flip-flops
13 Oct 2023 Coronavirus
‘I cannot cope with this’: Covid Inquiry messages show cab sec’s despair at policy flip-flops
Simon Case WhatsApps say government “looks like a terrible, tragic joke” and PM’s partner “is real person in charge”
Covid Inquiry: Requests for science advice 'chaotic and poorly formulated'
13 Oct 2023 Coronavirus
Covid Inquiry: Requests for science advice 'chaotic and poorly formulated'
"The formulation of science commissioning from the centre got quite chaotic for quite some time," former GO-Science chief says
'Am I being unreasonable?': Cummings messages throw light on No.10 Covid tensions
11 Oct 2023 Coronavirus
'Am I being unreasonable?': Cummings messages throw light on No.10 Covid tensions
Former political adviser described Cabinet Office as “terrifyingly shit, no plans, totally behind pace"
Covid Inquiry: Ex-cab sec questioned over ‘at war’ No.10
10 Oct 2023 Coronavirus
Covid Inquiry: Ex-cab sec questioned over ‘at war’ No.10
Gus O’Donnell says he had “relatively easy time” compared with successors
'No.10 chaos as usual': Vallance diary lifts lid on tensions at Covid Inquiry
04 Oct 2023 Coronavirus
'No.10 chaos as usual': Vallance diary lifts lid on tensions at Covid Inquiry
Simon Case compared politicians pushing for restrictions to end to children testing limits with their parents, panel hears
'A lot of wasted energy': Ex-top civil servants detail turmoil at heart of Johnson's No.10
19 Sep 2023 Coronavirus
'A lot of wasted energy': Ex-top civil servants detail turmoil at heart of Johnson's No.10
Officials “sought Buckingham Palace’s support” to bring No.10 into line, documentary claims
DHSC lacked economic advice to support Covid response, ex-minister says
06 Sep 2023 Coronavirus
DHSC lacked economic advice to support Covid response, ex-minister says
Bethell also criticised No.10’s "odd" approach to managing the pandemic, and argued that government should be like Transformers
Partygate TV series to be ‘heavily based’ on Sue Gray report
23 Aug 2023 Coronavirus
Partygate TV series to be ‘heavily based’ on Sue Gray report
Channel 4 reveals cast for Partygate dramatisation
Covid Inquiry: Officials 'flying blind' without ministers, NI perm sec warns
07 Jul 2023 Coronavirus
Covid Inquiry: Officials 'flying blind' without ministers, NI perm sec warns
“Unacceptable” ministerial absence in Northern Ireland before the pandemic hindered contingency planning, perm sec says
Court forces Cabinet Office to hand over Johnson WhatsApp messages to Covid Inquiry
07 Jul 2023 Coronavirus
Court forces Cabinet Office to hand over Johnson WhatsApp messages to Covid Inquiry
Court says Covid Inquiry should be able to "fish for documents" and return those it deems irrelevant
Government pandemic planning doctrine was 'wrong', Hancock tells Covid Inquiry
28 Jun 2023 Coronavirus
Government pandemic planning doctrine was 'wrong', Hancock tells Covid Inquiry
Covid-era health secretary says UK was too focused on having enough body bags and burial space, and not enough on avoiding deaths
Covid Inquiry: DHSC did not plan for pandemic quarantine measures despite 'system overload' warning
27 Jun 2023 Coronavirus
Covid Inquiry: DHSC did not plan for pandemic quarantine measures despite 'system overload' warning
DHSC board warned in 2016 of need for quarantine and contact-tracing preparations, inquiry hears
Covid Inquiry: Austerity hit public-health services hard, UKHSA chief says
27 Jun 2023 Coronavirus
Covid Inquiry: Austerity hit public-health services hard, UKHSA chief says
Community infection prevention and control became a “declining resource” with local authorities under “significant” pressure, Jenny Harries says
Covid Inquiry: Whitty warns of 'weaknesses' in scientific advice system between emergencies
23 Jun 2023 Coronavirus
Covid Inquiry: Whitty warns of 'weaknesses' in scientific advice system between emergencies
Chief medical officer calls for more "radical" thinking and says scientists have to "elbow their way in" outside of emergencies
Cabinet Office fills head of resilience role
22 Jun 2023 Coronavirus
Cabinet Office fills head of resilience role
Resilience Directorate chief will ensure government does not “lose sight of the longer-term challenges”, minister says
Covid Inquiry: DHSC perm sec admits ‘ready for flu, ready for anything’ shortcomings
20 Jun 2023 Coronavirus
Covid Inquiry: DHSC perm sec admits ‘ready for flu, ready for anything’ shortcomings
Chris Wormald says no-deal Brexit preparations took focus from pandemic work, but also yielded benefits