5 revelations you missed at the Simon Case Covid grilling
The leader of the civil service expressed regret during the COVID-19 investigation in the UK, which faced the possibility of being outshone by the election.
Simon Case was questioned on a fortunate day, which happened to be just after Prime Minister Rishi Sunak surprised people by announcing an unexpected election. The timing of this event helped to shift the focus away from what should have been a significant occurrence.
Simon Case has recently had a stroke of good luck in London.
The official inquiry into the coronavirus pandemic in the UK questioned the Cabinet secretary on Thursday. This person holds a high-ranking position as the country's leading civil servant.
He was questioned at a convenient time, the day after Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced a sudden election, drawing focus away from an important event.
Despite the challenges, POLITICO fulfilled its duty to the nation and attended the intense six-and-a-half-hour meeting in order to gain insight into the role Matt Case played in the U.K. government's turbulent pandemic response under Boris Johnson's leadership.
This is what you did not witness.
2) Dealing With Uncomfortable Texting 3) Overcoming Awkward Messaging 4) Apologies For Uneasy Texts 5) Tackling Uneasy Texting 6) Smooth Out Uneasy Messages 7) Coping With Uncomfortable Texting 8) Remorseful For Clumsy Messages 9) Handling Uncomfortable Messaging 10) Improving Awkward Text Exchanges
The investigation began by analyzing Case's honest WhatsApp messages, which have been the center of attention during the procedure. These messages provided harsh critiques of Johnson, his aides, and even the general public of the United Kingdom.
After being asked if she frequently used WhatsApp, Hugo Keith inquired, "It is understood that you were a prolific user of WhatsApp." Case responded by saying that the messages on the app are genuine and unfiltered, showcasing true and current emotions and reactions.
Case acknowledged that he was in debt of a few apologies for the manner in which he conveyed himself - and mentioned that he felt extreme remorse for the messages.
During the questioning on Thursday, some fresh messages from Case in 2020 were uncovered. The texts revealed that the highest-ranking executive once advised Boris Johnson to cease using WhatsApp.
Mistakes Happened
During the discussion, Case became emotional when the topic shifted to the outbreak of Covid-19 in autumn 2020 and how the British government didn't put a second national lockdown into effect until cases were on the rise.
On the day when Britain went into lockdown again, Case expressed his regret stating that they had tried their best to navigate the situation with good intentions and to strike a balance that would prevent any negative consequences. Unfortunately, they were not successful in finding the ideal solution, resulting in what he referred to as a gloomy day.
Case wrote in his statement that he believed the government led by Johnson was the most incompetent he had ever witnessed. He acknowledged that he and others who worked during that time are responsible for the numerous fatalities that occurred.
"Whitehall's Toxic Pygmies: A Dangerous Reality"
In the recently published WhatsApp messages and in his spoken testimony, Case criticized a harmful environment prevalent in Whitehall and its important divisions.
In a recently disclosed message to another high-ranking official, Case gave a brief overview of the situation within the Cabinet Office, indicating that "Crisis + pygmies = toxic behaviors" was a relevant descriptor. This was probably related to the capabilities of individuals working within both the Cabinet Office and No. 10 Downing Street.
Case expressed his strong dissatisfaction with the prevailing attitudes in the public sector. He observed that it was a toxic environment that was causing harm to decent individuals.
Case expressed that the process of making decisions seemed ineffective and unnecessarily challenging.
He also concurred with the investigation's approach of questioning that suggested there was a sensation of terror surrounding Johnson's former chief advisor, Dominic Cummings. However, he subsequently mentioned that the negative perception of Cummings was not entirely accurate.
Case criticized Boris Johnson on WhatsApp, likening him to the madness and danger levels of Trump and Bolsonaro and describing him as a wild animal. However, Case later attempted to amend his words and lessen his negative views towards his former boss.
During a poetic break, Case expressed that Johnson prefers having debates and discussions unfold before him to come to conclusions about ideas and perspectives. The way Johnson operates involves a strong desire for competition amongst ideas.
However, Case mentioned that he was not aware then that the ex-Prime Minister had a strong ideological opposition towards lockdown. This caused difficulties for Case as he had to decide whether to enforce another lockdown in the UK, which was already suffering from the severe effects of Covid-19, during the autumn of 2020.
Case expressed his annoyance with Johnson's tendency to change his stance, which he conveyed in a more tactful manner than he did in his WhatsApp messages.
"It was quite challenging for me, being a technology expert, to synchronize the Prime Minister's system with the gearbox," he remarked.
"Sunak: What's The Buzz?"
During the investigation, it was discovered that Case had personally advised Johnson to refrain from constantly concurring with Rishi Sunak, who is currently serving as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, during the summer of 2020 in a private conversation.
Sunak, who holds a high position in Britain's financial sector, often supported ending lockdown measures at a faster pace compared to the medical professionals who advised the Prime Minister.
Lawyers from the inquiry have reported that Case messaged Johnson during their discussion about meetings with Sunak, saying "you can't always be in agreement with Rishi."
Lawyer Hugo Keith questioned Case about his worries regarding Johnson being influenced to change policies after meeting with Sunak.
Case maintained that he was merely advising the Prime Minister to execute the complex task of balancing various responsibilities that come with being the head of the government, while Sunak focused on his mandate of boosting the economy.
