Downing Street is searching for five ‘Deputy Heads of News’ to support the Cummings communications revolution, covering topics from the economy and international affairs through to domestic policy and the Union.

The Home Office has complained that the EU system is “rigid, inflexible and abused by migrants and activist lawyers” - yet is still seeking to replicate it when Britain cuts ties with Brussels.

Sixteen private consultancy companies, including major firms like Deloitte, McKinsey and PWC, have driven major aspects of the government’s Covid-19 strategy.

Britain's furlough scheme is being wound down in October, potentially throwing millions out of work.

Dido Harding, who launched the test-and-trace programme in England, formerly worked as a consultant at McKinsey. She has been appointed to run the new National Institute for Health Protection, it emerged this week.

Public First - a small lobbying and research firm owned by James Frayne and Rachel Wolf, who both worked for Gove - has worked on the project with Ofqual since June, after being awarded a contract that was not put out to tender.

The government’s handling of the A-level grades fiasco was “a clear fail”, the IFS said, which would have “repercussions for universities and students” for years to come.

One of the comments on the Daily Mail’s coverage of the drowning, said that the boy’s death makes “our kids safe from one of them”.

Student Curtis Parfitt-Ford has launched a legal bid against Ofqual to “force them to come up with a fairer system”.