Trouble is brewing for the Cabinet Secretary. This morning the FT reports Simon Case is considering quitting the Civil Service, after the latest batch of Lockdown Files WhatsApps reveal Case accused Boris of being “nationally distrusted” and described some lockdown criticism as “pure Conservative ideology”. Not the sort of thing the most senior Civil Servant in the country wants splashing on the front pages…

“Friends” of Simon Case say he is “genuinely undecided” about sticking around even up to the next election, with attacks coming from all sides in the last 24 hours. Civil Service mandarins told the Telegraph last night the leaks had “hurt his reputation” and revealed his “naivety [and] inexperience”. The Times, meanwhile, reported yesterday that Cabinet Ministers are trying to push him out: “Case is looking more and more ridiculous, I think he has to go. Rishi needs to clear him out. It’s the level of indiscretion.”

Cases’s “friends” also claim he’s “fed up” with all the briefings and leaks, and his “original sin was being young and talented and promoted to that job before he was grey“. Presumably his second sin was his direct involvement in the lockdown parties he was supposed to investigate. “Hilarious…”