Covid inquiry: Sajid Javid says Dominic Cummings was prime minister in all but name

Dominic Cummings acted as prime minister in “all but name” during his time as Boris Johnson’s chief adviser, Sajid Javid has told the UK Covid-19 Inquiry.

Mr Javid said he resigned as chancellor in February 2020 because Mr Cummings made “many key decisions” on behalf of the former prime minister.

“I felt that the elected prime minister was not in charge of what was happening in his name and was largely content with Mr Cummings running the government,” he told the inquiry on Wednesday 29 November.

The inquiry was also shown a diary entry by former chief scientific adviser, Sir Patrick Vallance, in which he accused Mr Javid - the former health secretary - of “making policy on the hoof”.