By Ben Kerrigan-
Health Secretary, Matt Hancock was described by Boris Johnson as hopeless, a leaked Whassap message published by former adviser, Dominic Cummings reveals.
Dominic Cummings today published expletive-laden messages apparently from Boris Johnson, in which the PM describes the health secretary as “hopeless”.
The publication is the latest escalation of words between Mr Cummings and Mr Hancock over the handling of the coronavirus pandemic, and suggests the British prime minister at one point lost confidence in the professional competence of Matt Hancock. It is a serious attack on the credibility and professional judgement of Mr. Hancock.
Writing on Substack, the prime minister’s former chief aide published a series of texts and documents from emergency Cobra meetings which he said would combat what he called “lies” from Downing Street and the health secretary about the early handling of the pandemic.
The latest revelation still questions why Cummings never revealed the messages when he was asked to hand over documents that corroborated his claims to a select committee inquiry into the pandemic but did not meet the committee’s deadline before Hancock gave evidence last week.
Cummings criticized the health secretary had come up with a “new version of reality” that he had been responsible for pushing the increase in testing capacity and that Hancock had been pursuing the abandoned single-peak, herd immunity strategy until 16 March.
Testing, like vaccines, was removed from his control in May because of his incompetence and dishonesty,” he added.
Cummings said Hancock had told No 10 the supply of PPE was “all under control” in the week of 23 March, which Cummings described as false assurance, meaning weeks were wasted which could have been used to source protective equipment .
On 26 March, the day Johnson tested positive for Covid, Cummings texted the prime minister saying Hancock’s testing plans were in chaos and that the health secretary would not meet his 10,000-test pledge.
Johnson wrote, according to the picture on Cummings’ blog: “Totally fucking hopeless.”
“For his ‘fucking hopeless’ performance on testing in March alone, Hancock should have been replaced — and worse was to come,” Cummings wrote.
Boris Johnson Described Hancock As Hopeless Image: MOD/Crown
“If No 10 is prepared to lie so deeply and widely about such vital issues of life and death last year, it cannot be trusted now either on Covid or any other crucial issue of war and peace,” he wrote.
“Hancock continues to have direct responsibility for things like dealing with variants and care homes. Having such a secretary of state in a key role is guaranteed disaster. It is urgent for public safety that he is removed.”
Launching Fierce Attack On Hancock: Dominic Cummings Image: sky.com
He said Johnson was “encouraging ministers to give false accounts to parliament” and that the public inquiry would not sufficiently hold the PM to account. He said Johnson intended to quit two years after the next election in order to make money.
“So we either live with chronic dysfunction for another ~5 years or some force intervenes.”
Awkward
The revelation is awkward for both Johnson and Hancock, and will add pressure on both to explain the attack which clearly reflected discontent on the part of the prime minister.
Cummings last week launched multiple attacks against Cummings, accusing him of being a liar who should have been fired 15-20 times.
And he claims Mr Hancock and the PM had “repeatedly lied about failures”.
Mr Hancock denied lying to the prime minister about the testing of hospital patients discharged to care homes at the start of the pandemic in a four hour rebuttal of Mr Cummings’s testimony to the same committee.
Mr Cummings issued a wide ranging fresh attack with a 7,000 word blog post, in which he says Mr Hancock’s version of events as fiction.
It includes screenshots of WhatsApp messages, which appear to show an exchange between Mr Johnson and Mr Cummings on 27 March last year.
Mr Cummings highlights the ramping up of testing capacity in the US and criticises Mr Hancock for saying he was “sceptical” about meeting a target.
Mr Johnson in the message responds: “Totally [expletive] hopeless.”
In another message, on 27 April last year, the prime minister appears to call the situation around personal protective equipment (PPE) “a disaster” and alludes to diverting some responsibilities to Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove.
“I can’t think of anything except taking Hancock off and putting Gove on,” Mr Johnson apparently adds.