Former aide to the Prime Minister points finger at Health Secretary for Covid response deficiencies

The Prime Minister’s ex-aide, Dominic Cummings, has shed light on Health Secretary Matt Hancock’s alleged failings during the Covid crisis by sharing a screenshot of a WhatsApp conversation with Boris Johnson. In the tweet accompanying the image, Cummings quoted the Prime Minister describing Hancock’s performance on testing, procurement, PPE, and care homes as “totally f***ing hopeless,” and dismissing Hancock’s account of events as fiction.

According to the leaked messages, Cummings criticized Hancock on March 3 of last year for expressing doubt about meeting testing targets, contrasting it with the US’s progress in ramping up testing capacity. The text, riddled with typos, highlighted the disparity in testing capabilities between the two countries, emphasizing the critical role of testing in the pandemic response.

In another revelation, Cummings shared a private message from Johnson expressing frustration with Hancock’s handling of ventilator procurement. The message indicated Johnson’s dissatisfaction with Hancock’s performance and hinted at potentially replacing him with Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove.

Cummings, who left Downing Street amidst internal political strife, has raised significant concerns about the government’s pandemic response. In a detailed blog post, he posed probing questions directed at Johnson regarding the decision to retain Hancock despite his perceived failures in crucial areas like testing, care homes, and PPE management.

The revelations have sparked further scrutiny over the government’s handling of the pandemic, with calls for greater transparency and accountability from the Health Secretary and the Prime Minister.