Civil servant attacked in Cummings ‘misogynistic’ WhatsApps to give evidence

The former deputy cabinet secretary, Helen MacNamara, is facing questions about the Government’s response to the pandemic this morning.

She was the subject of “foul-mouthed, aggressive” and “misogynist” abuse from Dominic Cummings, the inquiry was told on Tuesday, after he said in WhatsApp messages shared with the probe that Number 10 was “dodging stillettos from that c****”.

Early on in the pandemic, Ms MacNamara wrote a report describing a toxic culture in the cabinet, saying that female staff were being “talked over and ignored”.

Follow the latest Covid inquiry updates in i‘s liveblog.