What will Cummings say?

As the government puts the final touches to its social distancing review and Foreign Office ministers ponder the best response to the situation in Belarus, it’s a scheduled select committee appearance that is the subject of the most animated chatter in Westminster. Dominic Cummings is due to give evidence before the joint health and science committee inquiry into the government’s Covid response.

The session — which is due on Wednesday from 9.30 a.m. to 1 p.m. (Cummings has said he is happy to stay longer) — has been causing nerves in 10 Downing Street for some time. Given Boris Johnson’s relationship with his senior aide has dramatically worsened since Cummings left government, there have been concerns that the former adviser could make a series of damaging allegations about the PM’s handling of the Covid — as well as reveal numerous embarrassing details that Johnson and his ministers would rather be kept private.