Britain's top civil servant apologizes for describing Boris Johnson and his entourage as 'basically savage' in Covid messages and admits he failed to understand how 'difficult' the former PM found the pandemic »

• Simon Case said he didn't understand Boris Johnson was finding the pandemic 'difficult'
• He said the WhatsApp messages were “instant” frustrations with the former prime minister.

By Francine Wolfisz

Published: 9:02 p.m. EDT, May 23, 2024 | Update: 9:45 p.m. EDT, May 23, 2024

Britain's most senior civil servant admitted yesterday that he did not understand how “difficult” Boris Johnson had found the pandemic.

Simon Case was questioned at the Covid inquiry over WhatsApp messages showing his exasperation with the government.

The Cabinet Secretary admitted that messages describing Mr Johnson and his inner circle as “fundamentally savage” “now require an apology”.

He told senior counsel Hugo Keith KC: “These are very crude human expressions, in the moment they are not the whole story but I recognize they are part of the story.

“Many of them are now demanding an apology for the things I said and the way I expressed myself.”

Simon Case said he did not understand that Boris Johnson was finding the pandemic “difficult” as he was questioned at the Covid inquiry over WhatsApp messages showing his exasperation with the government.

The Cabinet Secretary admitted that messages describing Mr Johnson and his inner circle as “fundamentally savage” “now require an apology”.

Asked about the negative WhatsApp messages he sent regarding Mr Johnson, Mr Case said: “These are examples that I obviously deeply regret expressing my frustrations at the time with the former Prime Minister .”

Mr Case, who has worked in Downing Street since May 2020, admitted he found it “very frustrating” that each Prime Minister had “their own approach” to the job.

But he added: “I just don’t think I understood how difficult he found it personally.”

While Mr Case expressed regret over the way he framed his criticism in his messages, he nevertheless maintained his criticism of the “difficult atmosphere” that reigned at Number 10.

He also stood by a message he had sent, saying it was difficult to get “good people” to work in Downing Street because it was a “rat's nest”.

He told the inquiry: “I mean, we brought in some really good people into the Covid taskforce, but… it ended up being quite a separate entity with its own sort of cultural ways of working from the rest of number 10.” '

The Covid-19 survey began in June 2022 and consists of several modules.

While Mr Case expressed regret over the way he framed his criticism in his messages, he nevertheless maintained his criticism of the “difficult atmosphere” that reigned at Number 10.

Mr Case's testimony concludes the Module 2 hearings, which focus on decision-making and political governance in the UK.

Baroness Heather Hallett, chair of the inquiry, will now review the evidence.

She has not set a publication date for her report and recommendations.

The inquiry's next evidence hearing, which will focus on module 3 on healthcare, will take place in September.

Share or comment on this article: Britain's top civil servant apologizes for describing Boris Johnson and his entourage as 'fundamentally savage' in Covid messages and admits he failed to understand how ex-PM found the pandemic “difficult”.

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