Covid Inquiry Delivers Damning Verdict on No 10 Culture
The official inquiry into the UK's handling of the pandemic has published a scathing assessment of the environment inside Boris Johnson's Downing Street, directly blaming his chief aide, Dominic Cummings, for poisoning the atmosphere. The report from the inquiry's second module, focusing on core government decision-making, depicts a toxic and chaotic culture that was actively encouraged by the then Prime Minister.
A Destabilising Influence and a 'Shopping Trolley' PM
The inquiry found that Mr Cummings, who gave evidence to the investigation in October 2023, strayed far beyond the remit of a special adviser by making key decisions that should have been reserved for the Prime Minister. This was an arrangement with which Boris Johnson was reportedly content. The report states that Cummings, despite his ability, was a destabilising influence, fostering a culture of fear, mutual suspicion, and distrust that ultimately undermined the Prime Minister's own authority.
This dysfunctional dynamic was compounded by Johnson's own leadership style, which the inquiry describes as terminally indecisive. Effectively endorsing Cummings' famous characterisation of Johnson as a shopping trolley veering from one path to another, the report details how the PM's constant oscillation made decisions slow and inconsistent. This was particularly damaging during the autumn of 2020, when Johnson repeatedly changed his mind on introducing tougher restrictions, ultimately leading to a full four-week lockdown in November after rejecting earlier advice for a circuit-breaker.
A Toxic Culture Where Loudest Voices Prevailed
The report firmly counters Johnson's defence that a chaotic environment helped get things done. Instead, it concludes that by failing to tackle—and at times encouraging—this culture, Johnson created a situation where the loudest voices prevailed and the views of other colleagues, particularly women, were often ignored. Witness testimony highlighted a misogynistic and abrasive environment, with a noted lack of diversity among senior ministers and advisers.
While acknowledging that officials were under immense psychological stress, the inquiry states that the poor culture at the heart of government directly led to a lower quality of advice and decision-making. Johnson only took action to restrain Cummings when the pair had an irreconcilable falling out in November 2020, leading to the adviser's departure.
The inquiry also noted that public confidence was severely damaged by instances of rule-breaking by those in power, explicitly mentioning Cummings' controversial drive to Barnard Castle. It emphasised that leaders must follow the same rules they impose on the public to maintain trust during a national emergency.
