I am aware you have been missing Dominic Cummings. It turns out he had the operation in late July that he delayed a year ago when @BorisJohnson persuaded him to become his chief aide and has been convalescing in north of England since. He returns to normal duties at No10 Monday.

Whitehall source tells me he has not been working, and was not looking at emails or messages. I imagine it has been an unmitigated joy for him to switch it all back on again - especially to read the reported remarks of his father-in-law about...

the PM’s alleged (and denied) early retirement plans