The UK's former top civil servant during the early stages of the Covid-19 pandemic, Lord Sedwill, has revealed that he urged Prime Minister Boris Johnson to remove Matt Hancock as health secretary.
Lord Sedwill expressed concerns about Hancock's performance and lack of public trust, stating that a loss of confidence in him was damaging the pandemic response.
These revelations came to light during the ongoing Covid-19 inquiry, which is examining the political response to the pandemic in the UK. Lord Sedwill's private messages with another senior official, Simon Case, were also disclosed during the inquiry, revealing tensions within the government.
In these messages, Case described working in the Johnson government as "taming wild animals," and Lord Sedwill criticized Hancock as "totally incompetent" over his handling of certain pandemic-related issues.
The inquiry is set to continue with further evidence from key figures involved in the pandemic response, including Matt Hancock and Simon Case.