REVEALED: 'ORGY OF NARCISSISM AT HEART OF COVID FAILINGS

Boris accused ex-aide of 'disgusting' behaviour instead of 'solving crisis'

- Mark Reynolds

CHAOS at the heart of government during the Covid pandemic was described by Boris Johnson as an "orgy of narcissism".

A war of words fought by the then PM and top aide Dominic Cummings was me exposed in WhatsApp sages at the Covid inquiry.

Mr Johnson hit out at suggestions that his now wife Carrie was responsible for briefing against Mr Cummings, who had left No 10 two days earlier.

 

His message said: "She hasn't briefed anyone and my instructions to all were to shut the f*** up.

How is any of us supposed to know where these briefings come from?" He accused Mr Cummings and ex-press secretary Lee Cain, who both appeared at the inquiry yesterday, of briefing against him.

Mr Johnson wrote: "Look at the claims made on behalf of allies of Lee and Dom, that I'm out in six months, that I can't take decisions, that Carrie is secretly forging lockdown policy, and about a billion equally demented claims.

"Are you responsible for all that c***? No.

"This is a totally disgusting orgy of narcissism by a government that should be solving a national crisis.

We must end this. " Asked if he agreed that there was an "orgy of narcissism" Mr Cummings told told the inquiry: "Certainly there was."

He accused Mr Johnson of badly handling the pandemic and of overseeing a "dysfunctional" government, claiming that the administration had lacked a plan for shielding the vulnerable during the outbreak.

But as he tried to get revenge on Mr Johnson he ended up painting a foul picture of his own personality.