If sacked, Dominic Cummings wouldn't hesitate to get his revenge on the govt. He would expose failings at the top like opening an old wound and pouring salt into it. He's at the very least got enough dirt on Johnson, Gove, Raab that they cannot contemplate risking this.

He'll be able to expose the reasons for the delay in February, crimes committed for the Brexit campaign, dodgy data dealings - he's probably a bit like that fellow in Sherlock who had all the compromising data in his head. The one Sherlock shoots.

So now the govt is desperately trying to avoid him going rogue in this way, in the process destroying the lockdown concensus and any remaining faith the population had in them. It's scorched earth because the alternative, for them, is even worse.

So expect more ludicrous denial from all the main culprits but also remember if we can keep up the pressure then it could feasibly start an incredible shitstorm.

Johnson, Gove et al's worst fear would be Cummings sitting being interviewed by Channel 4 or a malevolent Andrew Neill. All the dirty laundry aired for all the world to sniff.