The Covid Inquiry: F***pigs, morons and c***s
The News Agents
Global
4.1 • 5.4K Ratings
🗓️ 31 October 2023
⏱️ 32 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
So, three guesses whose WhatsApps gave us our episode title today.
That’s right, Dominic Cummings was up in front of the Covid inquiry where we were given a glimpse of his affection for cabinet colleagues...
We also heard from No10 Comms director Lee Cain - his pal - together they paint a picture of the dysfunction that dominated decision making in the early months of Covid.
What do the WhatsApp messages really tell us? And is any of this helping those who want resolution and an explanation for their loved one’s deaths?
Editor: Tom Hughes
Senior Producer: Gabriel Radus
Producer: Laura FitzPatrick
Social Media Editor: Georgia Foxwell
Video Producers: Rory Symon & Arvind Badewal
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | The Newsagents podcast is brought to you by HSBC UK, opening up a world of opportunity. |
| 0:07.0 | A warning. This episode contains strong. Actually, let me go further. The strongest language |
| 0:13.3 | from the very outset. And for once, it's not mateless who's to blame. |
| 0:21.3 | This is a global player original podcast. |
| 0:24.8 | You called ministers useless fuck pigs, morons, cunts, |
| 0:32.8 | in emails and WhatsApps to your professional colleagues. |
| 0:38.3 | Do you think you contributed to a lack of effectiveness on the part of ministers and of the |
| 0:43.3 | Cabinet? |
| 0:44.3 | No, I think I was reflecting a widespread view amongst competent people at the centre of power |
| 0:50.3 | at the time about the calibre of a lot of senior people who are dealing with this crisis, extremely badly. |
| 0:55.2 | Slow down, please, Mr Cummings. |
| 0:58.1 | I love the slow down. |
| 0:59.5 | He's speaking in four-letter words. |
| 1:00.9 | How can he slow down much further? |
| 1:02.6 | Those were the ones we definitely all understood quite clearly. |
| 1:06.0 | That was Dominic Cummings in front of the COVID inquiry, |
| 1:09.4 | being asked by the Casey, the questionnaire, |
| 1:12.5 | about those messages, WhatsApp, texts that he sent to friends in government discussing, describing members of the cabinet. |
| 1:23.9 | And what is coming out of the COVID inquiry is a picture of absolute abject chaos, indecision and dysfunction at the very heart of government at a time of global crisis. |
| 1:40.8 | Welcome to the newsagents. |
| 1:45.8 | The Newsagents. The Newsagents. |
| 1:47.9 | It's John. |
... |
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