Civil service boss Simon Case's five most explosive WhatsApps as he appears at Covid Inquiry

The head of the civil service who accused Boris Johnson of making the Government look like a "tragic joke" during pandemic will finally give evidence to the public inquiry on Thursday.

Cabinet Secretary Simon Case faces a grilling over his role in running Whitehall during the Covid crisis. His eyebrow-raising WhatsApps are likely to feature heavily after the Inquiry received many in evidence. In messages from 2020, the exasperated top official wrote that Mr Johnson alternated between fearing the virus was getting worse and “let it rip” mode.

Mr Case, who was appointed head of the civil service in September 2020, accused Mr Johnson of a "danger of becoming Trump/Bolsonaro level mad and dangerous" and said his indecisiveness made it "impossible" to govern.

Ahead of the Mirror has gathered together the explosive WhatsApps presented at the Covid Inquiry, which reveal a culture of chaos at the heart of No10.

Simon Case sits to the left of Boris Johnson at a Cabinet meeting

1. Joking that Carrie Johnson is 'in charge'

Mr Case appeared to joke that Boris Johnson's wife Carrie was "the real person in charge" during the pandemic according to WhatsApps handed to the Covid Inquiry.

An exchange between the Cabinet Secretary, Boris Johnson's then-spin chief Lee Cain and Dominic Cummings was shown on screen during a hearing in October. The messages were featured as part of evidence from Mr Cummings, Mr Johnson's top aide turned nemesis, which were dated in 2020.

A message from Mr Case showed him joking: "I was always told Dom [Cummings] was the secret PM. How wrong they are. I look forward to telling select cttee tomorrow 'oh f*** no, don't worry about Dom. The real person in charge is Carrie'." He appears to be referring to an evidence session with the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee in October 2020.

Explosive WhatsApps shown by the Covid Inquiry between Simon Case, Lee Cain and Dominic Cummings

2. Government looks like a 'terrible, tragic joke'

In one text in 2020, Mr Case said: "This Govt doesn't have the credibility to be imposing stuff within only days of deciding not to. We look like a terrible, tragic joke. If we were going hard, that decision was needed weeks ago. I cannot cope with this."

Mr Cain responded with a shopping trolley emoji, which is assumed to refer to the changing direction of the Government. Mr Cummings has since hit out at Mr Johnson’s indecisiveness and described him as “a shopping trolley smashing from one side of the aisle to the other".

3. Boris Johnson backed 'bulls*** ideas' then regretted it

In one text, Mr Case accused the then-PM of backing “bulls***” ideas from Matt Hancock, Gavin Williamson and Grant Shapps.

He said: "My conclusions: -our scientists are slow and too purist; - because we have a massive trust deficit with the gov’t at the moment, we are finding it impossible to hold debatable positions; - at every turn, PM backs bullshit “no surrender” ideas from (Matt) Hancock/ (Gavin) Williamson/ (Grant) Shapps and then totally regrets it later; - we really, really need a reshuffle and totally new approach to how this gov’t works."

4. Boris Johnson 'danger of becoming Trump-level mad'

Speaking about Mr Johnson in a group chat with Mr Cummings and Mr Cain, Mr Case: "I would appreciate your help in getting him back to some sense. He does seem to just want to declare that we are over Covid and that it is going to just all be fine.

"He says he want to get everything open in the Autumn and end social distancing. This is in danger of becoming Trump/Bolsonaro level mad and dangerous."

5. Boris Johnson wanted to 'let [the virus] rip'

Mr Case warned that Mr Johnson alternated between fearing the virus was getting worse and “let it rip” mode when he argued the country was “pathetic” and “needs a cold shower”.

In one chat, Mr Case wrote: “After this morning's FT driven performance by BJ, I am at the end of my tether. He changes strategic direction every day (Monday we were all about fear of virus returning as per Europe, March etc - today we were in "let it rip" mode cos the UK is pathetic, needs a cold shower etc).

"He cannot lead and we cannot support him in leading with this approach. The team captain cannot change the call on the big plays every day. The team can't deliver anything under these circumstances.

"A weak team definitely cannot succeed in these [circumstances]. IT HAS TO STOP!" He added: "I am at the end of my tether… Gov't isn't actually that hard but this guy is really making it impossible."