you refer in often true than not. you refer in our often true than not. you refer in your statement _ often true than not. you refer in your statement to _ often true than not. you refer in your statement to cabinet - often true than not. you refer in your statement to cabinet and l your statement to cabinet and cabinet committee meetings being... meetings. in cabinet committee meetings being... meetinus. , , ., , meetings. in the sense that they were for show. _ meetings. in the sense that they were for show. as _ meetings. in the sense that they were for show. as part _ meetings. in the sense that they were for show. as part of- meetings. in the sense that they were for show. as part of the - meetings. in the sense that they l were for show. as part of the show of the constitution. unfortunately, a large part of how the system works is that ministers parade up downing street, the cameras clicked, people act like cabinet is actually deciding things for everybody behind number ten door in power knows that thatis number ten door in power knows that that is very rarely actually what is going on. usually what is happening is that senior officials have actually decided what is happening and the ministerial performances is often, usually a performance. because that changes according to historical situations and crises and sometimes cabinet even in 2019, 2020, became genuinely important.

i'm just trying to give a general picture. fin i'm just trying to give a general icture. . , , ., picture. on the cusp of the coronavirus _ picture. on the cusp of the coronavirus pandemic, - picture. on the cusp of the i coronavirus pandemic, where picture. on the cusp of the - coronavirus pandemic, where was power exercised? where was the effective decision—making? bi; power exercised? where was the effective decision-making? by cusp or ou effective decision-making? by cusp or you mean. _ effective decision-making? by cusp or you mean, sorry? _ effective decision-making? by cusp or you mean, sorry? january, - or you mean, sorry? january, february? — or you mean, sorry? january, february? it _ or you mean, sorry? january, february? it certainly - or you mean, sorry? january, february? it certainly wasn't| or you mean, sorry? january, | february? it certainly wasn't in cabinet. where _ february? it certainly wasn't in cabinet. where was _ february? it certainly wasn't in cabinet. where was it? - february? it certainly wasn't in cabinet. where was it? well, | february? it certainly wasn't in - cabinet. where was it? well, most ower is cabinet. where was it? well, most power is normally _ cabinet. where was it? well, most power is normally in _ cabinet. where was it? well, most power is normally in the _ cabinet. where was it? well, most power is normally in the hands - cabinet. where was it? well, most power is normally in the hands of. power is normally in the hands of the prime minister and to a very large extent in the cabinet office. i would say the cabinet secretary is something like ten times a 100 times more powerful than anybody else in the cabinet, apart from the prime minister. all sorts of elements of real power actually now in our system answer to him but a large part of the performance and the media coverage is aimed at trying to cover up this fact and tried to betray the minister is actually in

charge. you brought into effect two very important processes. one was the 815 officials meeting, which you and other officials discussed the day's events. resolve to raise important matters that needed to be debated. and then, at 915, daily, they became meetings with the prime minister. in his study or in the cabinet room? where did that take place? the sort of formal part _ where did that take place? the sort of formal part of _ where did that take place? the sort of formal part of it _ where did that take place? the sort of formal part of it was _ where did that take place? the sort of formal part of it was in... - of formal part of it was in... sorry, the 815 was in the cabinet room every day. the 915 was usually also in the cabinet room, sometimes that would be preceded by a smaller meeting in the prime minister's study which adjoins the cabinet room to a kind ofjoint door. imore study which adjoins the cabinet room to a kind ofjoint door.— to a kind of 'oint door. were your 8:15am to a kind ofjoint door. were your 8:15am officials _ to a kind ofjoint door. were your 8:15am officials meeting - to a kind ofjoint door. were your 8:15am officials meeting is - to a kind ofjoint door. were your i

8:15am officials meeting is minuted or noted? j 8:15am officials meeting is minuted or noted? ., 8:15am officials meeting is minuted or noted? . ., , , or noted? i am not sure exactly... well, the — or noted? i am not sure exactly... well, the process _ or noted? i am not sure exactly... well, the process changed. - well, the process changed. obviously, the 8:15am and 9:15am meetings, i originally created out of the kind of arab disaster and they were very informal. but they went to different iterations so they were called different things. —— make air of disaster. the bureaucratic processes would have been different for each one. right at the very beginning, at 8:15am, there are kind of action points taken because it was an action orientated thing. it was not a formal structure. so i would guess there are not formal minutes at meetings to begin with but there were certain the action points that the private secretary and others would write during the meeting and circulate immediately afterwards. br; circulate immediately afterwards. by and large, as you stay in your statement, there was little transparency and visibility, traces

of discussions might only be in an e—mail on what's out if they exist at all. is that correct? ll is at all. is that correct? it is certainly _ at all. is that correct? it is certainly correct _ at all. is that correct? it is certainly correct about - at all. is that correct? it is certainly correct about the j at all. is that correct? lit 3 certainly correct about the very first part when we just created the meetings because they had no kind of formal position of any kind though i don't think that is accurate about later on? ., , ' . don't think that is accurate about later on? . , , . ., later on? the cabinet office to which you _ later on? the cabinet office to which you have _ later on? the cabinet office to which you have a _ later on? the cabinet office to which you have a third, - later on? the cabinet office to which you have a third, you . later on? the cabinet office to - which you have a third, you describe in this way. there is more sand in the petrol tank rather than the rolls—royce gearbox. our gearbox, it is often as. what did you mean by that? ~ , ., is often as. what did you mean by that? ~ _, , , ., ~ is often as. what did you mean by that? . i. , , ., ~ ., is often as. what did you mean by that? ,, .,~ ., ., , that? well, if you speak to many --eole that? well, if you speak to many people not _ that? well, if you speak to many people not around _ that? well, if you speak to many people not around the _ that? well, if you speak to many people not around the system i that? well, if you speak to many| people not around the system for very long time, the cabinet office, over a long period of time, has accumulated more and more power, formal and informal. it has become incredibly bloated, it quite a huge number of people, huge numbers of

teams, and, particularly on the sort of deep state national security side, crisis management, has become in all sorts of ways, extremely opaque and effectively completely visible to any political figure, including the prime minister. so it is extremely difficult to know, in number ten, who exactly in the cabinet office was doing what. his responsibility it was, who were we supposed to talk to to get action? and that was critical in, particularly in the first couple of months. ~ ., , , particularly in the first couple of months. ~ , ., particularly in the first couple of months. ~ . ., particularly in the first couple of months. ~ , ., . ., ., months. was this a function of staffin: months. was this a function of staffing levels? _ months. was this a function of staffing levels? inadequate . months. was this a function of - staffing levels? inadequate staffing levels or overstaffing? or in particular parts of the cabinet office? ora particular parts of the cabinet office? or a reflection of the personalities? people are actually the cabinet office? ll personalities? people are actually the cabinet office?— personalities? people are actually the cabinet office? it was a mix of old dysfunctional—

the cabinet office? it was a mix of old dysfunctional system - the cabinet office? it was a mix of old dysfunctional system is, - the cabinet office? it was a mix of old dysfunctional system is, of- the cabinet office? it was a mix of old dysfunctional system is, of the wrong people in the wrong job, decades of accumulated no real scrutiny and insight, and culture of constantly classifying everything to hide mistakes and hide scrutiny. management was bad. incredibly bloated with so many senior figures. the senior pubertal themselves did not know who was in charge of what. in your statement to your inquiry you say that, in 2020, a handful of senior officials with the wrong people for the posts. and this is in the context of your views on government generally, so notjust the cabinet office but number ten. this meant they were unable to replace other people who are run for their posts. however, it is the prime minister who is responsible for the wrong people remaining in crucialjobs. where, in your

opinion, the wrong people in those crucialjobs in the cabinet office? yes, i think they clearly were some people in the cabinet office who were in the wrong jobs. the cabinet secretary and i have had quite a few frank discussions about some of these problems going back into 2019. the actually removed some of the people, at my request, and move them onto other things whitehall being they are often promoted rather than actually removed. so, yes, iagree with the thrust of your question. who else did you have in mind by that observation that they were the wrong people in thosejobs? well. that observation that they were the wrong people in those jobs? wrong people in those 'obs? well, i think the cabinet _ wrong people in those jobs? well, i think the cabinet secretary - wrong people in those jobs? well, i think the cabinet secretary at - wrong people in those jobs? well, i think the cabinet secretary at the l think the cabinet secretary at the time and self said to me that he had never sought thatjob and he had serious doubts about the wisdom of combining the cabinet secretary's job and the national security adviserjob. i think that that job and the national security adviser job. i think that that was

correct and he was a very able diplomat. he had skills in all sorts of ways but that, the way in which the cabinet office has evolved... perhaps will pause there and stay on theissue perhaps will pause there and stay on the issue of the cabinet secretary. 0k. ., ., , the issue of the cabinet secretary. ok. ., ,. ., ., ok. that cabinet secretary, now lord said well, ok. that cabinet secretary, now lord said well. he — ok. that cabinet secretary, now lord said well, he described _ ok. that cabinet secretary, now lord said well, he described as _ ok. that cabinet secretary, now lord said well, he described as as - ok. that cabinet secretary, now lord said well, he described as as a - said well, he described as as a talented and able diplomat, able diplomat and all sorts of ways. you denigrated and insulted by your watts apps and text messages, did you not? i watts apps and text messages, did ou not? , , watts apps and text messages, did ou not? ,, watts apps and text messages, did ou not? , , ,., �* watts apps and text messages, did ou not? ,, �* ., watts apps and text messages, did ounot? �* .,, you not? i guess so. i'm not sure exactly what — you not? i guess so. i'm not sure exactly what you _ you not? i guess so. i'm not sure exactly what you are _ you not? i guess so. i'm not sure exactly what you are referring - you not? i guess so. i'm not sure exactly what you are referring to | exactly what you are referring to but it is certainly the case that i came to the view that he did not have visibility of the fundamental disasters that were in unfolding.

use obscenities to describe them and in a series of text and what steps he saves off the pace, his staff knew he was off the pace, he was unable, essentially, to function at all as the head of the cabinet office. l all as the head of the cabinet office. ., �* ~' all as the head of the cabinet office. ., �* ~ ., , office. i don't thinki actually said he was _ office. i don't thinki actually said he was unable _ office. i don't thinki actually said he was unable to - office. i don't think i actually. said he was unable to function office. i don't think i actually - said he was unable to function at all but the rest of what you said is correct and this was notjust my view. part of what i was expressing to the prime minister was that other people in the cabinet office, and crucial people, officials, not political people, in the prime minister's office, had said to me we fear that both the cabinet office has gone dreadfully wrong and that mark doesn't understand just how badly wrong this has all gone. you were unimpressed by the principal private secretary. you believe that he deferred too much to the prime minister. he didn't force him to face up to hard choices? is that correct? , ~ .,

correct? yes. ithink... so, that role is highly. — correct? yes. ithink... so, that role is highly, highly _ correct? yes. i think... so, that| role is highly, highly underrated, correct? yes. i think... so, that i role is highly, highly underrated, i think an understanding how government really works. it is an extraordinarily powerful position in all sorts of ways. much more powerful than anybody in the cabinet, often the prime minister will double as a critical role and my view was that a role like that in a country like ours should be filled lay a country like ours should be filled by one of the absolutely most able people that we could possibly muster in our country and i made that argument to the prime minister before january, during the election, actually, but making a change in january. i lost the argument. 5110s? january. i lost the argument. slow down, january. i lost the argument. slow down. please- _ january. i lost the argument. slow down, please. you _ january. i lost the argument. slow down, please. you lost _ january. i lost the argument. slow down, please. you lost that - down, please. you lost that argument. l down, please. you lost that argument-— down, please. you lost that aruument. . ., ., ., argument. i made it again after the first wave and _ argument. i made it again after the first wave and i _ argument. i made it again after the first wave and i lost _ argument. i made it again after the first wave and i lost the _ argument. i made it again after the first wave and i lost the argument i first wave and i lost the argument again. first wave and i lost the argument aaain. ., , ., first wave and i lost the argument aaain. ., ,, . ., , again. your views on the secretary of state for _ again. your views on the secretary of state for the _ again. your views on the secretary of state for the department - again. your views on the secretary of state for the department of - of state for the department of health and well known and we will be looking at some of your remarks about him in due course. overall, the tenor of your statement is to

the tenor of your statement is to the effect, and this is to use your words, that senior ministers, senior officials and senior advisers, like yourself, fail disastrously short of the standards the public had to expect. is that if you you adhere to still? your marketers. i also think there are many exceptional people, as i've also tried to explain in my statement that they were all enmeshed in a fundamentally dysfunctional structure and that meant that even the great people were often unable to do great work. you also say that it is completely crackers that someone like you should have been a number ten. is that that you still maintain? for sure. ultimately, _ that that you still maintain? for sure. ultimately, who _ that that you still maintain? for sure. ultimately, who bears- that that you still maintain? for sure. ultimately, who bears the responsibility. _ sure. ultimately, who bears the responsibility, mr _ sure. ultimately, who bears the responsibility, mr cummings, i sure. ultimately, who bears thel responsibility, mr cummings, for appointing individuals of him he had described in these terms? well. appointing individuals of him he had described in these terms?— described in these terms? well, a lot of them _ described in these terms? well, a

lot of them were _ described in these terms? well, a lot of them were appointed, - described in these terms? well, a lot of them were appointed, a - described in these terms? well, a lot of them were appointed, a lot| lot of them were appointed, a lot appointed before me in the prime minister arrived. the prime minister obviously bears responsibility for the cabinet. he appointed the cabinet in summer 2019, contrary to all media reports i had zero involvement in that. i tried to get involvement in that. i tried to get in to change it injanuary and failed. tried to get him to change it in february and almost completely failed. �* ~ failed. appointed you, mr cummings? the prime minister. _ failed. appointed you, mr cummings? the prime minister. the _ failed. appointed you, mr cummings? the prime minister. the inquiry - failed. appointed you, mr cummings? the prime minister. the inquiry has i the prime minister. the inquiry has heard evidence _ the prime minister. the inquiry has heard evidence that _ the prime minister. the inquiry has heard evidence that the _ the prime minister. the inquiry has heard evidence that the cabinet - heard evidence that the cabinet office plays a vital role in government as the coordinating centre. it liaises with other government departments. it brokers issues, it resolves debates and issues, it resolves debates and issues between line departments. it issues between line departments. it is the hub of government. on your arrival in downing street injuly of 2019, did you believe that the

cabinet office was effectively performing that role? ha. cabinet office was effectively performing that role? h0. the performing that role? no. the cabinet performing that role? lip. the cabinet secretary, the inquiry has been told, has an equally important function of exercising such institutional levers as may be required, in order to make other parts of government work? where those institutional levers being effectively operated by the cabinet secretary when you arrived in downing street injuly secretary when you arrived in downing street in july 2019? secretary when you arrived in downing street injuly 2019? his. secretary when you arrived in downing street in july 2019? no, but i would also — downing street in july 2019? no, but i would also come _ downing street in july 2019? no, but i would also come obviously, - downing street in july 2019? no, but i would also come obviously, it - downing street in july 2019? no, but i would also come obviously, it was l i would also come obviously, it was the middle of the worst constitutional crisis in a century and i certainly would be extremely unfair to blame the cabinet secretary for the poms we had at that time. ., ., , ., that time. throughout the rest of that time. throughout the rest of that ear that time. throughout the rest of that year and _ that time. throughout the rest of that year and at _ that time. throughout the rest of that year and at the _ that time. throughout the rest of that year and at the beginning i that time. throughout the rest of that year and at the beginning of| that year and at the beginning of 2020, did you discern any improvement in the structural system concerning the cabinet office? ln concerning the cabinet office? l�*i

some ways, yes, i think it did improve. in the very first that i arrived, i sent an e—mail to the cabinet secretary regarding how i thought that brexit should work in terms of the deep brexit strategy and operations. the cabinet secretary agreed with me. we set that up. i think that everybody involved with the process think that it radically improved how the government dealt with such an extremely complicated question. and i think also everybody that i know, who i spoke to about it, things that, contrary to the in impression one gets from the media, going through that admitted the nightmarish process in 2019 actually proved extremely useful in terms of dealing with the covid crisis. so overall, i would say, i did the

system is completely dysfunctional but, within that, the cabinet secretary did make various important improvements, i think. secretary did make various important improvements, ithink. d0 secretary did make various important improvements, ithink.— improvements, i think. do you think our improvements, i think. do you think your description _ improvements, i think. do you think your description of _ improvements, i think. do you think your description of your _ improvements, i think. do you think your description of your colleagues, | your description of your colleagues, the way in which you describe them, their functions, the way in which you describe them, theirfunctions, their abilities, their functions, their abilities, their functions, their abilities, their talents, added theirfunctions, their abilities, their talents, added to that dysfunctionality?— their talents, added to that dysfunctionality? no, ithink the o- osite, dysfunctionality? no, ithink the opposite. i— dysfunctionality? no, ithink the opposite, ithink— dysfunctionality? no, ithink the opposite, i think my _ dysfunctionality? no, ithink the opposite, i think my job, i dysfunctionality? no, ithink the opposite, i think my job, huge l dysfunctionality? no, i think the i opposite, i think my job, huge part opposite, i think myjob, huge part of the problem of the culture of westminster and whitehall that was so disastrous and covid is people speaking out about core problems. and i regarded myjob as, i'm not a smart person, i'm not a and i regarded myjob as, i'm not a smart person, i'm nota in and i regarded myjob as, i'm not a smart person, i'm not a in all sorts of ways, but i'd build very effective teams and i felt that a crucial part of myjob was to say to the pm and to other people, if i thought that someone couldn't do the job, and to make that clear. because thatis job, and to make that clear. because that is so fundamental to performance and the issue is so often buried in whitehall. fin

performance and the issue is so often buried in whitehall. on the 3rd of may. _ often buried in whitehall. on the 3rd of may. so. _ often buried in whitehall. on the 3rd of may, so, after— often buried in whitehall. on the 3rd of may, so, after the - often buried in whitehall. on the 3rd of may, so, after the initial. 3rd of may, so, after the initial crisis in the first wave... 3rd of may, 2020. you sent an e—mail to martin reynolds, the principal private secretary, and others including the private health secretary for... and you copied it back to yourself. you said, we are wasting far too much time in clap meetings. are not using the pm's time well. changes from tomorrow. no papers go 2pm and anything related covid—19 including from cab office. unless they are cleared by tom or

me. nobody else. any chair brief, anything related to covid—19 must be cleared by him or me. nobody else. and then there are some further directions concerning papers for the prime minister and meetings. directions concerning papers for the prime ministerand meetings. hire whoever else you think you need, we must start cancelling meetings and telling the pm. and so on. did that direction that nothing would go to the prime minister on covid from the cabinet office and hmt include anything from the cabinet secretary? did that mean that the cabinet secretary cannot directly to the prime minister? b, secretary cannot directly to the prime minister?— secretary cannot directly to the prime minister? a mess cleared by ou or prime minister? a mess cleared by you or tom? _ prime minister? a mess cleared by you or tom? no- — prime minister? a mess cleared by you or tom? no. said _ prime minister? a mess cleared by you or tom? no. said being i prime minister? a mess cleared by i you or tom? no. said being excluded, in you ortom? luv. said being excluded, in effect, within the civil service, from communicating papers to the

prime minister without your intervention?— prime minister without your intervention? ,, ., , ., intervention? so, essentially, what i was trying — intervention? so, essentially, what i was trying to _ intervention? so, essentially, what i was trying to do — intervention? so, essentially, what i was trying to do here. _ intervention? so, essentially, what i was trying to do here. the - intervention? so, essentially, what i was trying to do here. the quote i i was trying to do here. the quote is not really very relevant. what i was actually trying to do was empower tom, who is an excellent official, we had a fundamental problem, we had many fundamental problems. to most obvious ones were the cabinet office was a bomb site. and we had a huge problem of quality control of documents going into meetings. and inconsistent data, inconsistent facts being read out. and many officials had come to me and said, this is causing chaos. there has to be some, for my system to actually grip this. the cabinet office was a dumpster fire and tom was extremely able, essentially, but i was trying to do usa, there has to be someone who actually takes responsibility for saying that they and the team have checked the

information and certifying it is accurate. so that we can get away from these nightmare meetings that we had had all the way through the previous few weeks of documents coming up people then saying, this is wrong, this is out of date, everyone looking at each other like the spider—man meme, not being sure who is ultimately responsible so i was trying to say we should establish a proper structure for this, someone who everyone respects. tom was an adviser with the civil service, to the prime minister. imilli service, to the prime minister. with resect service, to the prime minister. with respect may — service, to the prime minister. with respect may have — service, to the prime minister. with respect may have not _ service, to the prime minister. in respect may have not really like service, to the prime minister. try respect may have not really like me, no. i admit he was an adviser insofar as he was not a member of the civil service, he was an adviser to the prime minister. know, with respect, that is not correct. he had been an official, he then came back in as an official, i think he was, well, to begin with, his exact status was slightly unclear, obviously, the first few days. because he arrived on the 16th of march. he was a civil servant, not an adviser. did

march. he was a civil servant, not an adviser-— march. he was a civil servant, not an adviser. , , ., , » an adviser. did you bring him in, mr cummings? — an adviser. did you bring him in, mr cummings? l— an adviser. did you bring him in, mr cummings? i did. _ an adviser. did you bring him in, mr cummings? i did. was _ an adviser. did you bring him in, mr cummings? i did. was it _ an adviser. did you bring him in, mr cummings? i did. was it wise, i an adviser. did you bring him in, mr cummings? i did. was it wise, in i cummings? i did. was it wise, in hindsight. _ cummings? i did. was it wise, in hindsight. to _ cummings? i did. was it wise, in hindsight, to concentrate - cummings? l c c was it wise, in hindsight, to concentrate this degree of control in yourself and him? l degree of control in yourself and him? ~ , ., ., him? i think bringing tom in an empowering — him? i think bringing tom in an empowering him _ him? i think bringing tom in an empowering him in _ him? i think bringing tom in an empowering him in the - him? i think bringing tom in an empowering him in the way i i him? i think bringing tom in an | empowering him in the way i did him? i think bringing tom in an i empowering him in the way i did was probably hand for the best decisions i made on the whole nightmare. by the way, the cabinet secretary agreed with me. i think it worked with tom on a lot of exit issues and with tom on a lot of exit issues and with jeremy heywood with tom on a lot of exit issues and withjeremy heywood if with tom on a lot of exit issues and with jeremy heywood if you with tom on a lot of exit issues and withjeremy heywood if you years earlier. it was not like i was imposing this on them. i actually spoke to mark and said, here is my idea, are you happy with it, and he said, yes. great. sounds great. fin said, yes. great. sounds great. on the 15th of may, according to your statement, you had a long discussion at the private office in downing street to review what had gone wrong with the cabinet office. you raised issues about the lack of coordination across whitehall, the duplication requests, in essence, a

failure to grip whatever issues are problems are confronted in the cabinet office. what was your view of the private office within downing street with him you are having those conversations? l street with him you are having those conversations?— conversations? i think the private office, as conversations? i think the private office. as l _ conversations? i think the private office, as i made _ conversations? i think the private office, as i made clear— conversations? i think the private office, as i made clear my i office, as i made clear my statement, in all sorts of ways, absolutely excellent. and i think it had some of the finest public servants in the whole system. and in the country was lucky to have them. i think, though, the country was lucky to have them. ithink, though, that the country was lucky to have them. i think, though, that there was, i would say that there was one very obvious problem that, apart from the leadership of the private office, he was a notable exception, but there was a notable exception, but there was a notable exception, but there was a core problem which is at the private secretaries and the prime minister's office are generally quitejunior minister's office are generally quite junior officials. minister's office are generally quitejunior officials. quite minister's office are generally quite junior officials. quite a few of them are young women. and, at that meeting on the 15th of may, and on other occasions, some of the

young women in the private office said to me, that they thought there was a serious problem with senior people in the cabinet office not paying attention to what they were saying, talking over them, generally just a bad culture of a lot of the senior male leadership in the cabinet office, which was something that i agreed with.— that i agreed with. well, we will be lookin: in that i agreed with. well, we will be looking in due _ that i agreed with. well, we will be looking in due course _ that i agreed with. well, we will be looking in due course about - that i agreed with. well, we will be looking in due course about some i that i agreed with. well, we will be i looking in due course about some of your e—mail and text to other members of the team. is it fair to say that you were critical, also, the private office that you sent e—mails and text saying the private office is systemically flawed in certain regards, as well as the cabinet office? l certain regards, as well as the cabinet office?— certain regards, as well as the cabinet office? i think it is two se arate cabinet office? i think it is two separate things. _ cabinet office? i think it is two separate things. i _ cabinet office? i think it is two separate things. i was - cabinet office? i think it is two| separate things. i was generally highly impressed by the private secretaries in the private office were thought did an absolutely extraordinaryjob. but i thought

that the overall structure in which the private office operated clearly didn't work and, you know, you had a relatively tiny number of people with, as i say, relativelyjunior people suddenly being completely swamped by being asked to solve huge numbers of problems from all across the system. so when i say the private office didn't work, it wasn't that, this is not a criticism of the people in it, it is that it was swamped by the broader dysfunction of the cabinet office. could be have, please, the letter that you sent to the inquiry 48313 on page 56. this, i think, if we go back to the previous page, thank you very much. you can see this as an e—mail that you sent on monday the 13th ofjuly, right at the bottom of the page. it is a lengthy e—mail,

isn't it, mr cummings, in which you set out your views on a number of different parts of the government machine, there had been for some time, you'd raise the issue in january of the overall structure of the government. you've ate it again in may. you'd repeatedly subject and you return to it injuly. over the page on page 57 there are references to the cabinet office not working for anyone, and the second paragraph. further down the page, you are critical..., it is about happy down, of cobra and cts. is that the... failed in multiple ways. yes. ., ., . ., ., ., yes. you are critical of the data s stem. yes. you are critical of the data system- you — yes. you are critical of the data system. you are _ yes. you are critical of the data system. you are correct, i yes. you are critical of the data system. you are correct, yes. i yes. you are critical of the data i system. you are correct, yes. over the page,

page 59, you are critical of institutional fiction, page 59, you are critical of institutionalfiction, turf page 59, you are critical of institutional fiction, turf wars, the existence of blame games, page 16, you refer to bloating, copy list culture. 61, we have experienced disaster. the pm has said, sort it out. we are still a low performing entity, the next phase of covid, and economic order. we need a timetable for key actions. simon and tom should inform me, scout out possible key people for this now. was there any part of the government machine, mr cummings,

in which she did not find fault? well, in summer 2020 and spent quite a lot of time to british special forces and i found that they were exceptional. forces and i found that they were exceptional-— forces and i found that they were exce tional. ~ ., ~ , exceptional. well, now, mr cummings, ou know exceptional. well, now, mr cummings, you know perfectly _ exceptional. well, now, mr cummings, you know perfectly well _ exceptional. well, now, mr cummings, you know perfectly well that _ exceptional. well, now, mr cummings, you know perfectly well that this i you know perfectly well that this is evidence directed at the coronavirus pandemic and we are debating the mechanics of number ten, the cabinet office and the government response. there are isolated... if you ask me purely about the number ten in cabinet of a system... h purely about the number ten in cabinet of a system. . .- purely about the number ten in cabinet of a system... i am talking about the structure _ cabinet of a system... i am talking about the structure concerned i cabinet of a system... i am talking j about the structure concerned with the the coronavirus pandemic. l the the coronavirus pandemic. i would say, overall, the the coronavirus pandemic. l would say, overall, widespread failure but pockets of excellent people and pockets of excellent teams doing excellent work within an overall dysfunctional system. ln overall dysfunctional system. in your statement, you described how,

following this e—mail, that the prime minister, whilst initially agreeing with the sentiment of your trenchant views on aspects of the government machine, listened to, to use your word, poppins and then got cold feet. what are poppins? obviously, the context for this document is it comes after eight weeks of a nightmare situation kicked off by the pm... l do kicked off by the pm... i do apologise. _ kicked off by the pm. .. i do apologise. mr— kicked off by the pm... i do apologise, mr cummings, what are apologise, mr cummings, whatare poppins? apologise, mr cummings, what are po. iins? ., ,, , apologise, mr cummings, what are pouins? ., ,, ,., apologise, mr cummings, what are poe-ins? ,., ., apologise, mr cummings, what are poi-ins? . , poppins? poppins are what people in the rivate poppins? poppins are what people in the private office _ poppins? poppins are what people in the private office referred _ poppins? poppins are what people in the private office referred to - poppins? poppins are what people in the private office referred to when i the private office referred to when the private office referred to when the prime minister would make a decision about something, and some element of the system, often in the cabinet office commode not like what had been agreed and, in the best sir humphrey yes minister style, would wait for me and other people to not be around the prime minister, then they would pop in to see the prime minister and say, dear prime

minister, i think that this decision really wasn't the best idea, very brave, prime minister, perhaps you should... and i think this was a general problem. you should. .. and i think this was a general problem.— should... and i think this was a general problem. you should trolley on it? meaning? _ general problem. you should trolley on it? meaning? i'm _ general problem. you should trolley on it? meaning? i'm using - general problem. you should trolley on it? meaning? i'm using the i on it? meaning? i'm using the ueneric on it? meaning? i'm using the generic term _ on it? meaning? i'm using the generic term that _ on it? meaning? i'm using the generic term that we - on it? meaning? i'm using the generic term that we often i on it? meaning? i'm using the. generic term that we often use. on it? meaning? i'm using the i generic term that we often use. the term used and his cabinet secretary used and his director of communications used, and other officials, no doubt, but his propensity to... officials, no doubt, but his propensity to. . ._ officials, no doubt, but his propensity to... pretty much everyone _ propensity to... pretty much everyone called _ propensity to... pretty much everyone called him - propensity to... pretty much everyone called him the i propensity to... pretty much i everyone called him the trolley, yeah. everyone called him the trolley, eah. ., everyone called him the trolley, eah. . . ., ., | yeah. change direction. cobra. i appreciate _ yeah. change direction. cobra. i appreciate it _ yeah. change direction. cobra. i appreciate it is _ yeah. change direction. cobra. i appreciate it is a _ yeah. change direction. cobra. i appreciate it is a little _ yeah. change direction. cobra. i appreciate it is a little early i yeah. change direction. cobra. i appreciate it is a little early but| appreciate it is a little early but i think— appreciate it is a little early but i think my— appreciate it is a little early but i think my for quite a long stint. mr cummings, like me, to speak very quickly _ mr cummings, like me, to speak very quickly i_ mr cummings, like me, to speak very quickly. i think we will take a break— quickly. i think we will take a break now. i shall return at quarter to two _ break now. i shall return at quarter to two. all— break now. i shall return at quarter to two. �* , break now. i shall return at quarter to two-- the _ break now. i shall return at quarter to two.- the kev _ break now. i shall return at quarter to two.- the kev inquiry i to two. all rise. the kev inquiry takin: a to two. all rise. the kev inquiry taking a break— to two. all rise. the kev inquiry taking a break now. _ to two. all rise. the kev inquiry taking a break now. dominic i to two. all rise. the kev inquiry - taking a break now. dominic cummings has been giving his evidence for 40

minutes or so. it was borisjohnson was made chief adviser during the covid pandemic. he has actually been asked about his language. it has been a lot of swearing. some expletives. and he sort of apologised for that. he was quoted as saying, his expletive laden descriptions of cabinet ministers said david mackie said reflected a widespread view. he said he treated the top ministers like a fact of life, like the weather, as if they were sidelined. so, the covid inquiry has been hearing from dominic cummings. his descriptions of senior ministers, which is not very positive. we will continue with our coverage a little bit later that they have now taken a break. stay with us here on bbc news. all of the latest coverage from all around the world. thanks for being with us.

i think what will probably be clear in covid, it was the wrong crisis for this prime minister's skill set. lee cain was one of borisjohnson's longest serving advisers. his key aide dominic cummings is giving evidence for the rest of the day. we'll have the latest from the public inquiry. and also here this lunchtime. a u—turn on the railways. the proposal to close hundreds of ticket offices at stations across england has been scrapped. nearly a month after hamas's atrocities, i asked the president of israel for the latest with the hostages and the rising civilian causalities in gaza. dog barks xl bully dogs are to be formally banned today. owners have untiljanuary to apply to keep their pet. and, the cast of friends

say they were a family.