By Ben Kerrigan-
London, UK – Cabinet Secretary Simon Case, (pictured)the UK’s top civil servant, appeared before the UK Covid-19 Inquiry on Thursday, acknowledging that his WhatsApp messages during the pandemic were “raw, in-the-moment” expressions and not a comprehensive account of the Government’s actions during that period.
During his testimony, Mr. Case emphasized that while his messages are part of the historical record, they do not fully represent the Government’s efforts and decision-making processes during the pandemic
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“They are very raw, in-the-moment human expressions – they’re not the whole story but I recognize they’re part of the story. Many of them now require apologies for things that I said and the way I expressed myself,” he said.
In response to questions from lead counsel Hugo Keith KC regarding negative messages he sent about former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Mr. Case expressed regret.
“Those are examples that I obviously now deeply regret of expressing my in-the-moment frustrations with the former prime minister,” he stated.
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Mr. Case explained that each Prime Minister has a unique approach to leadership, and he found Mr. Johnson’s method particularly frustrating. “Each Prime Minister has their own approach to doing it and as I say, in my job, I found it very frustrating.
I just don’t think I understood how difficult he was finding it personally,” he said.
He also noted that he had tried to shift serious discussions away from WhatsApp during Mr. Johnson’s tenure.
Amongst criticism levied by case against Johnson in whassap messages was his description of the former prime minister as being at “Trump-Bolsonaro levels of mad and dangerous” on Covid.
Case also stated in those messages that Johnson “cannot lead” and warned: “The team captain cannot change the call on the big plays every day.”
The first official policy regarding WhatsApp use in Downing Street was introduced in March 2021, but by then, it had become an entrenched mode of communication.
When questioned about a specific WhatsApp message in which he remarked “Crisis + pygmies = toxic behaviour,” Mr. Case admitted that it was a comment on the competencies of individuals in the Cabinet Office and Number 10.
He defended the dedication of the civil servants, saying, “Good people were working incredibly hard in impossible circumstances with choices where it seems there was never a right answer.”
Mr. Case highlighted the chaotic and fragmented atmosphere within the Government during the pandemic.
He described a duplication of efforts, overlapping meetings, and a challenging environment where “good people were just being smashed to pieces.”
This testimony comes after Mr. Case’s return to his role as Cabinet Secretary, following a medical leave that began in October. He faced intense scrutiny over highly critical WhatsApp messages that surfaced last year, which revealed his frustration with the Government’s handling of the pandemic.
In a July 2020 message to Lord Sedwill, then Chief of the Civil Service, Mr. Case said, “I’ve never seen a bunch of people less well-equipped to run a country.”
He also described Mr. Johnson and his close advisors as “basically feral” and implied that Carrie Johnson, the Prime Minister’s wife, was “the real person in charge” at Number 10.
Mr. Case’s return to the inquiry marks a significant moment as he addresses these controversial messages and the broader challenges faced by the Government during the Covid-19 crisis.
His testimony sheds light on the intense pressures and internal conflicts that characterized the UK’s pandemic response.
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