when it was used by dominic cummings, it - used by dominic cummings, it was used _ used by dominic cummingsngs, it was used to the kind of say, "well, we shoutdn't— used to the kind of say, "well, we shouldn't have collective decision—making, we should be rugged individualists where you bring in all these — individualists where you bring in all these mavericks to make decisions _ all these mavericks to make decisions because groups are bad." in decisions because groups are bad." in the _ decisions because groups are bad." in the case — decisions because groups are bad." in the case of the report, i heard jeremy— in the case of the report, i heard jeremy hunt on the radio this morning. _ jeremy hunt on the radio this morning, and it was being used in quite _ morning, and it was being used in quite a _ morning, and it was being used in quite a different way — because if one says — quite a different way — because if one says anyone who gets involved in a group _ one says anyone who gets involved in a group starts to become less discriminating, then we can blame poor decisions on group process

, who launched a series— dominic cummings, who launched a series of— dominic cummings, who launched atacks when he appeared before the mp5. but this appeared before the mps. but this report— appeared before the mp5. but this report doesn't really names, it talks— report doesn't really names, it talks about a mindset at the top of government. but i think it is quite something — government. but i think it is quite something to see laid bare those catalogue of mistakes across 150 pages, _ catalogue of mistakes across 150 pages, with two former conservative cabinet _ pages, with two former conservative cabinet ministers putting their names— cabinet ministers putting their names to _ cabinet ministers putting their names to it. it talks about the early— names to it. it talks about the early decision to delay the lockdown, the problems in care homes, — lockdown, the problems in care homes, with border controls, i could io homes, with border controls, i could go on _ homes, with border controls, i could go on it— homes, with border controls, i could go on it is— homes, with border controls,

dominic cummings — new political system. dominic cummings not _ new political system.nic cummings not mincing his - new political system. dominic- cummings not mincing his words, as ever. in response the government said it had acted decisively and quickly throughout the pandemic. ministers have a lot on their plates in the era now dealing with the economic fallout the pandemic and the after—effects of brexit, so perhaps not too much time to look back at mistakes that may or may not have been made over the past 18 months but this isjust have been made over the past 18 months but this is just the beginning in terms of looking back at the pandemic, the full public inquiry is due to get under way in the spring and could go on for years. the spring and could go on for ears. ., ~' the spring and could go on for ears. . ~ , ., borisjohnson is expected to give his backing to a support package for firms struggling with the soaring cost of wholesale gas. the treasury is considering a proposal submitted by the business secretary yesterday. ceramic, paper and steel manufacturing f

his rasputin, dominic cummings, told parliament and told others that he was dreadful about covid.d up the response and was responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people. and people sort of shook it off. of course, over time, the barnacles attach to any government, but this government's been around for 11 or 12 years. somehow, they've been reinvented. it's a remarkable story and it will have to be a lot worse before he bears the political price. marc, is there something to be said for political leaders in what i think baldwin used to call masterly inactivity? well, you can't call a french president... masterly inactivity. all of them have been hyperactive. macron i think has brought a bit more stability, he is the favourite to win the election. he has a plan to modernise france. the british are out of the europe and germany is not the force it was in the past with the new coalition. to put france at the centre of europe. so, i think the french are at the moment better positioned than the british because they have the same strong leadership, but a vision which, of co

is there any hint there might be a u-turn if you believe dominic cummings, formerly a source of informationk by jowl with boris johnson at number 10, until he handled his involvement with coronavirus raleigh and had to be got rid of, but he's basically saying that boris johnson was always going to do you turn on this? owen: i don't think anyone is surprised and i agree with nicholas. the only thing that is consistent is their inconsistency. not so long ago, david france was extolling the virtues of this. if anything, he negotiated and now he's trying to disown it. if a junior trade union official acted that way, they would not last very long. there are issues with the protocol. it is a result of the hard brexit this government sought and insisted upon. some unionists have highlighted legitimate concerns. they need to be taken on board. in the context of the eu today, they will be taken on board and what we need to see now are voices in northern ireland involved in this because this is an issue that must be done with the people of northern ireland and the u.k. government and that you need to

dominic cummings has been su~ iiestin indeed. dominic cummings has been suggesting that _ indeed., doesn't there?— doesn't there? there is plenty of iood will doesn't there? there is plenty of good will on _ doesn't there? there is plenty of good will on our _ doesn't there? there is plenty of good will on our side. _ doesn't there? there is plenty of good will on our side. how- doesn't there? there is plenty of good will on our side. how can i doesn't there? there is plenty of. good will on our side. how can there be goodwill on the eu side if you reject british soil coming from another part of britain. that is deliberately being your classic, inconvenient, in order to send some kind of inverted commerce punishment. is kind of inverted commerce punishment.— kind of inverted commerce unishment. . . �* kind of inverted commerce unishment. . , �* punishment. is this the brexit day due envisaged? _ punishment. is this the brexit day due envisaged? -- _ punishment. is this the brexit day due envisaged? -- is _ punishment. is this the brexit day due envisaged? -- is this - punishment.

former advisers, dominic cummings last couple of days saying that look, this is also where they werek out the bits they did not like. how damaging to the trust between britain and the eu is that sort of comment?— britain and the eu is that sort of comment? , , ., , ., , comment? trust is really low between the uk and the — comment? trust is really low between the uk and the european _ comment? trust is really low between the uk and the european union - comment? trust is really low between the uk and the european union and i the uk and the european union and several member states as well the republic of ireland and dominic cummings comments have not been helpful in that instance. this is someone who obviously was key and central to the government and the key government advisers but no longer is. and i think that is the way downing street will want to play this. so, the trust is really lacking and i think if that is in negotiation strategy, several countries will be raised and trained to move forward in the practical decision making in the implementation of something that is sensitive

surprised the poorest johnson might be considering doing a complete you turn on this, if you believe dominant cummings, formerly a very close source of information cheek by jowl with boris johnston and number 10 until he handled his involvement with corona virus wrongly and then had to be got rid of it in, in a very delayed way, i guess. but he's basically saying in the daily mail today for his johnson was always going to do a u. e on this. i don't think anyone was surprised and i would agree entirely. that was the only thing that's really been consistent during the bars. johnson regime is there in consistency. i mean not so long ago. ready david frost was extolling the virtues of this agreement, the very agreement he negotiated. now he's trans dishonest. i mean, if a, if a junior training and official behave that way after negotiating the green employ last very long. so, you know, there are issues with the protocol and it's a result of the hard branch of the, the sparse johnson government sauce, and assisted upon so union of highlighted some very legitimate concerns. they need to be taken on board an

position has been characterised slightly differently by the prime minister's former senior adviser dominic cummingsnight saying boris johnson didn't have a scooby do what the deal he signed up to meant and always intended to ditch the bits he didn't like. that has prompted concern from one eu member state at least, ireland's deputy leader leo barack as saying that sends a message the british government doesn't necessarily keep its words and honour the agreements it makes. 7 mike leigh over occur. the eu intends to consider this seriously, but if no round is given on the red line of the oversight of the european court ofjustice, frankly, it isn't going to fly as far as the uk is concerned. there will be difficult negotiations to come and with those comments from ireland, it doesn't necessarily set the tone for a particularly constructive or friendly discussion. jonathan blake and westminster. _ chris page is in belfast. what are the people of northern ireland want from these talks? weill. ireland want from these talks? well, there are two — ireland want from these talks? well, there are two dimensio

but actually this report does not really naming names to the extent that dominic cummings did, but itpatients from hospitals into the care sector, the lack of a functioning test and traced programme, the problems with racial disparities, the regional tier system, there is a lot of detail in there. as we move into the second half of the pandemic, it becomes much more about praising the government for the vaccine roll—out and the fact that earlier in the pandemic we bought up a lot of supplies of vaccine to put us in a better position than other countries later on. overall it does raise some pretty profound questions for the government. but in terms of the full public inquiry, that does not get under way until spring of next year, no sign from the government they will bring that forward. we are still waiting for details about what powers the inquiry will have, for example, and then how long it potentially might go on for because it might not report back and this is important politically, until after the next general election. peter, thanks forjoining _ the next general election. peter,

his rasputin dominic cummings told parliament and told others that he was dreadful about covid.nsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people. and people _ hundreds of thousands of people. and people sort— hundreds of thousands of people. and people sort of snuffed it off. of course. — people sort of snuffed it off. of course, overtime, the barnacles attached — course, overtime, the barnacles attached to — course, overtime, the barnacles attached to any government, but this government's been around for 11 or 12 years _ government's been around for 11 or 12 years. somehow, they've been reinvented — 12 years. somehow, they've been reinvented. it's a remarkable story and reinvented. it'5 a remarkable story and it— reinvented. it's a remarkable story and it witt— reinvented. it's a remarkable story and it will have to be a lot worse before _ and it will have to be a lot worse before he — and it will have to be a lot worse before he bears the political price. market. _ before he bears the political price. market. is — before he bears the political price. market, is this som

i think you j are probably right in case you have to follow dominic cummings on twitter who was the intentiond then renege on it after that government had won the election and there is no sign that everyone in downing street is going to agree with that analysis. but i think what you call the winning argument you signed up to it, you should have known is very unfair because yes, both sides signed up to it but there was no way of knowing in practice what was going to happen until the protocol was in operation which is why the european union on the scene having seen it in action and listen to the company we are going to change our process and create a bespoke situation for northern ireland because what we had in place to start with was not working that both sides worked with the experience of the political stuff that was not necessarily obvious at the time they signed it. the international energy agency said today that if the world wants to meet its target of net zero emmissions by 2050 then there needs to be a clear unmistakable signal from world leaders when they gather in glasgow injust over

then you get is like tweets last night from dominic cummings, the former chief adviser to the pm, sayingpect this protocol in full and that's why we introduced legislation like the inter nil market built to start and doing bits of it which now has led to accusations that the government was acting in bad faith with the negotiators in the first place —— internal market bill. what i should say, in the next few weeks, this stuff today trigger a couple of couple of weeks of quite intense negotiations with both sight seeing if they can bridge differences. if they can, we might be in a world where they agree to disagree and life stumbles on as normal for another few months or years, or if the differences cannot be bridged, we could face quite a confrontation and we could see the uk using the bit of the northern ireland protocol that allows parts of it to be suspended by one side or the other in an emergency, and if the uk did that, the eu would probably retaliate somehow and that is what we could be looking at, some think that looked a bit like a uk eu trade war. . ~' that looked a bit like a u

most noticeably that extraordinary appearance by the top adviser dominic cummings in which he was reallys right left and centre to see from the government figures this report doesn't name names but it is striking to see the catalogue of errors and indeed successes that have happened over the past 18 months or so laid bare. and the fact that that you've got to form a conservative cabinet ministers, the two committee chairs and volunteer who put their names to this report is also quite something, i think. that central conclusion that the government was too slow to lockdown early on in the pandemic, that lives were lost as a result is definitely damaging. as all the various other things that it talks about. the test and trace programme, the problems with that. the problems in terms of border controls, racial disparity, regional tier system there is an awful lot of detail in there. i think ministers will be quite confident that it doesn't give the political opponents too much fresh ammunition was up but they will perhaps be worried by the response of the covid—19 bereaved families forjustice