The private notes and secret documents that tell the inside story of the UK’s Covid response
On WhatsApp Johnson’s closest aides complain about his decision-making, external – using an emoji of a broken trolley as he appears to swerve from one policy position to another.
“This government doesn’t have the credibility needed to be imposing stuff within only days of deciding not to,” writes Case, who is now the new cabinet secretary, to Cummings and Lee Cain, No 10 director of communications, on 14 October.
“We look like a terrible, tragic joke. If we were going hard, that decision was needed weeks ago. I cannot cope with this.”
In his testimony to the inquiry, Case later says he regrets expressing his “at-the-moment frustrations” with Johnson, whom he “barely knew” at the time.
In his evidence, Johnson defends his own leadership style, saying his views changed with the scientific evidence, and he often adopted certain positions because he wanted to hear the counter arguments.
