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Hello and welcome to audio reads. On the podcast this week, we have Katie Balls on the long-term impact of the Dominic Cummings

affair, Dr John Lee on the problem with the way we're counting COVID deaths, and Lionel Shriver

on how life isn't worth living without a little risk. First, Katie Bors on Dominic Cummings.

When the cabinet met by conference call on Monday, three ministers spoken in support of Dominic Cummings,

Jacob Rees-Mogg, Suella Braverman and Pretty Patel. Their sentiments were not universally shared.

Several of us started feeling ill when Jacob opened his mouth, says one attendee. Silence from the

Parliamentary Party is damning, they add.

But many critics of Cummings and I think that having dug in so deeply, the Prime Minister

has to keep his man. To need to fight this much for an aid is bad enough, but to fight and lose

would be devastating. This explains energy behind the pursuit of Cummings in the past few days.

The disclosure that Boris Johnson's senior aid travelled 260 miles from London during lockdown

isn't just an easy issue on which to criticise the government. He's also provided the Prime

Minister's critics with their biggest chance yet at destabilising

Johnson's operation. It became clear pretty quickly that this was not about the fate of one

advisor, but about the authority of the PM and the viability of his government.

Anyone unconvinced need only look at the lengths taken to protect Cummings he was given a personal press conference in the dining street rose garden once used for the coalition announcement

the prime minister offered his full backing at two fairly press conferences a slew of cabinet members were sent out to offer their support and a review of lockdown child care penalties was even mooted by the health secretary.

If it were anyone else, he would no longer be in place, says the minister.

...