Has “Off Sick” Cabinet Secretary Simon Case Ducked Covid Inquiry ?

A Cabinet Office spokesman said: “The Cabinet Secretary is taking a short period of leave because of a private medical matter and is due to return to work in a few weeks.”

Mr Case has been involved in several controversies since he took the post in September 2020. He was embroiled in the partygate scandal and had to step back from the investigation into lockdown-breaking gatherings, ultimately led by Sue Gray, because of his own involvement.

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He was also drawn into the rows surrounding Richard Sharp’s appointment as BBC chairman, and separately admitted an “informal conversation” about potential roles at a royal charity for Mrs Johnson after a prompt from Number 10.

Mr Case aid it was “hilarious” that travellers had to be “locked up in hotels” on their return to the UK in leaked WhatsApp messages reported by The Telegraph earlier this year.

Mr Sunak has reportedly told the inquiry that he was unable to provide WhatsApp messages from his time as Chancellor during the pandemic because he failed to back them up.

In his witness statement, the Prime Minister wrote that he does “not have access” to the messages because he changed his phone several times, The Guardian claimed.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2023/10/22/simon-case-to-take-time-off-private-medical-matter/

He had been expected to give evidence to the Covid inquiry in the coming weeks, after WhatsApp messages disclosed some of his private thoughts about Boris Johnson’s government during the pandemic.

The head of the civil service said the Government was looking like a “terrible, tragic joke”, while Johnson’s wife Carrie was “the real person in charge”.

Case (below), who was made Cabinet Secretary in September 2020 having been permanent secretary in Number 10 before then, wrote that he was “not sure I can cope” amid apparent frustration at how the pandemic was being handled in Government.

The Cabinet Secretary was embroiled in the partygate row and had to step back from the investigation into lockdown-breaking parties, which ultimately fell to Sue Gray to lead, because of his own involvement.

The National: Cabinet Secretary Simon Case

He was pictured at the Cabinet Room birthday party for which Mr Johnson and Mr Sunak were fined.

Case’s central role during the Johnson administration also saw him drawn into the rows surrounding Richard Sharp’s appointment as BBC chairman.

He also admitted he had an “informal conversation” about potential roles at a royal charity for Johnson after a prompt from No 10.

https://www.thenational.scot/news/23871968.cabinet-secretary-simon-case-taking-medical-leave-few-weeks/