An intense grilling of Boris Johnson’s Principal Private Secretary Martin Reynolds, dubbed “Party Marty“, at the Covid Inquiry has finally been wrapped up. Guido gives you the run down…

• Reynolds admitted to turning on ‘disappearing messages’ on WhatsApp two weeks before the Covid Inquiry was announced, but said he “cannot recall exactly why [he] did so“.
• When questioned over head of civil service Simon Case’s message that, “PM is mad if he doesn’t think his WhatsApps will become public via Covid inquiry – but he was clearly not in the mood for that discussion tonight! We’ll have that battle in the new year”, Reynolds claimed that “Johnson hadn’t realised the messages would become public“.
• Reynolds told the inquiry that he “cannot recall” why for ten days in February 2020 Boris Johnson was given no Covid updates.
• Discussing power dynamics in Number 10, he called Dominic Cummings the “most empowered chief of staff Downing Street had ever seen”.
• He claimed Johnson “blew hot and cold” on what to do over the pandemic.
• Reynolds apologised “unreservedly” for his “Bring Your Own Booze” email he sent to No.10 staff during the first lockdown.

Dominic Cummings is set to give evidence tomorrow. Stay tuned…