Professor John Robertson OBA

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Is there evidence of Dominic Cummings trying to limit the influence of devolved nations at Covid Cobra meetings?

Evidence from the UK COVID-19 InquiryYes, there is direct evidence from Dominic Cummings’ testimony to the UK COVID-19 Inquiry (Module 2, October 2023) indicating efforts to limit the involvement of devolved nations’ leaders (from Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland) in key COBRA meetings during the early COVID-19 response. This was framed as a means to enable more candid, effective decision-making in smaller, centralized settings, while viewing broader COBRA sessions with devolved participation as superficial or counterproductive. Below, I outline the key elements of this evidence, drawn primarily from Cummings’ oral evidence and contemporaneous communications.Key Testimonial Statements and Context

• Criticism of COBRA as Ineffective with Devolved Participation: Cummings described COBRA meetings involving devolved administrations (DAs) as a “Potemkin process”—a superficial performance for coordination and constitutional purposes, rather than genuine truth-seeking or decision-making. He argued these sessions, often conducted via video with multiple participants, hindered open discussion due to risks of leaks and scripted exchanges. For instance, he noted that from mid-March 2020 onward, COBRA’s main function became procedural inclusion of DAs, but it “actively caused problems for communications” and was “hopeless” for scaling to the crisis’s demands. covid19.public-inquiry.uk +1
• Advocacy for Exclusion from Core Meetings: In a March 12, 2020, WhatsApp message to Boris Johnson, Cummings explicitly pushed for daily Cabinet Room meetings instead of COBRA, stating: “You need to chair daily meetings in the Cabinet room — not COBRA — on this from tomorrow… ‘NOT with the DAs on the [fucking] phone all the time either so people can’t tell you the truth.'” This was intended to create a space for unfiltered advice, away from the “unacceptable risk of leaks” posed by including devolved leaders. He denied deliberately “running down” COBRA but acknowledged it was effectively superseded by these Number 10-led sessions (e.g., the 9:15 a.m. daily meetings starting in March 2020). covid19.public-inquiry.uk +1
• Delegation to Minimize Direct Influence: Cummings preferred delegating interactions with devolved leaders to Michael Gove, whom he believed could handle them “ten times better” due to his experience. He argued it was better for Johnson to focus on the “impending catastrophe” rather than DA meetings, which “generally did not advance any cause.” Instead, devolved leaders should confer with officials or Gove, reducing their direct access to the Prime Minister and central decision-making. This aligns with broader testimony that early COBRA invitations to devolved leaders (starting in February/March 2020) gave way to a “gap in intergovernmental relations” by summer 2020, as COBRA and related Ministerial Implementation Groups (MIGs) were wound down. covid19.public-inquiry.uk +2

Broader Inquiry ContextThe November 2025 UK COVID-19 Inquiry report (Module 2) echoes these issues indirectly, recommending that devolved administrations be routinely invited to COBRA for “whole-system” crises to improve coordination—a nod to early inclusion that faltered under Johnson’s administration. While the report heavily criticizes Cummings for contributing to a “toxic and chaotic” Downing Street culture, it does not delve into this specific devolved dynamic but highlights how centralized, ad-hoc processes (which Cummings championed) led to disjointed UK-wide responses across the four nations. news.sky.com +1This evidence stems from Cummings’ own admissions during his October 31, 2023, testimony, contemporaneous messages, and inquiry analyses. It portrays his approach as pragmatic centralization amid perceived inefficiencies, rather than overt hostility, though critics (including inquiry participants) interpreted it as exclusionary. No contradictory evidence emerged in searches of inquiry documents or related reporting.

Sources for Evidence on Dominic Cummings and Devolved Nations’ Influence at COBRA MeetingsThe evidence referenced in my previous response draws from official UK COVID-19 Inquiry documents (testimonies, witness statements, and the Module 2 report), contemporaneous WhatsApp messages, and secondary analyses from reputable outlets covering the inquiry. Below, I list the primary sources, grouped by category, with key excerpts relevant to the query. These confirm Cummings’ role in advocating for centralized meetings that sidelined devolved administrations (DAs) from core decision-making to mitigate leaks and enable candid advice.1. Official Inquiry Testimonies and Transcripts

• Dominic Cummings’ Oral Evidence (31 October 2023, Module 2 Hearing): Transcript details Cummings’ description of COBRA as a “Potemkin process” when including DAs, due to leak risks and superficial discussions. He advocated delegating DA interactions to Michael Gove to free up Boris Johnson for crisis focus.
  BBC News Live Coverage (31 Oct 2023) – Excerpt: “It is put to Cummings… that he ‘ran down’ the Cobra system because the devolved administrations… took part, and he believed there was an unacceptable risk of leaks… Cummings says… it was beneficial to confer with Gove and other officials.” bbc.com
  BMJ Report on Hearings (2 Nov 2023) – Covers Cummings’ testimony on chaotic governance and COBRA limitations. bmj.com
• Cummings’ Witness Statement (Dated 12 Oct 2023): Outlines his views on COBRA’s inefficacy with DAs and preference for Number 10-led meetings.
  UK COVID-19 Inquiry Archives – Full document ID: INQ000273872. covid19.public-inquiry.uk

2. Contemporaneous Communications (WhatsApp Messages)

• Cummings to Johnson (12 March 2020): Message pushing for Cabinet Room meetings “not COBRA” and explicitly excluding DAs to allow truthful advice without leak risks.
  The Scotsman (11 Oct 2023) – Excerpt: “You need to chair daily meetings in the Cabinet room — not COBRA — on this from tomorrow… ‘NOT with the DAs on the [fucking] phone all the time either so people can’t tell you the truth.'” scotsman.com
  Mirror Online (12 Oct 2023) – Same message, noting exclusion of devolved leaders like Nicola Sturgeon. mirror.co.uk
  The National (1 Feb 2024) – References the message and Cummings’ later testimony on DA “performances.” thenational.scot

3. UK COVID-19 Inquiry Module 2 Report (Published 20 November 2025)

• Core Report (Modules 2, 2A, 2B, 2C): Analyzes centralized decision-making flaws, including COBRA’s wind-down and DA exclusion, leading to coordination gaps. Recommends routine DA inclusion in future crises.
  GOV.UK Official Publication – Full report on decision-making and DA relations. gov.uk
  Inquiry Website Volume I – Excerpt: “In the early period, devolved leaders were invited to COBR… But COBR ceased to operate… leaving an intergovernmental relations gap… contributing to some confusion among the public.” covid19.public-inquiry.uk
  Institute for Government Analysis (21 Nov 2025) – Summarizes DA coordination failures and Cummings’ role in chaotic culture. instituteforgovernment.org.uk
• ‘In Brief’ Summary: Concise version highlighting “toxic and chaotic culture” influenced by Cummings and DA mistrust.
  Inquiry Archives – Dated 20 Nov 2025. covid19.public-inquiry.uk

Additional Context from Inquiry Overviews

• Wikipedia Entry on UK COVID-19 Inquiry: Timeline of Module 2, including Cummings’ 31 Oct 2023 evidence on WhatsApp messages and DA exclusion.
  Wikipedia – Updated as of 28 Sep 2025. en.wikipedia.org
• Saunders Law Update (8 Feb 2024): Overview of Module 2 hearings, noting sub-modules on devolved nations (2A-2C) and Cummings’ testimony.
  Saunders Law – Covers DA decision-making focus. saunders.co.uk

These sources are publicly accessible via the UK COVID-19 Inquiry website (covid19.public-inquiry.uk) and major news archives. The Module 2 report (760+ pages) provides the most comprehensive analysis, building on 2023 testimonies. For full transcripts, visit the inquiry’s document library. If you need excerpts from a specific source or further searches (e.g., on X for real-time reactions), let me know.