Rishi Sunak has “full confidence” in Cabinet Secretary Simon Case amid claims he will be forced out after embarrassing text messages were leaked, Downing Street has said. Mr Case sent a series of WhatsApp messages criticising former prime minister Boris Johnson and Mr Sunak during the pandemic.

More exchanges are expected to emerge, which will increase pressure on the country’s top civil servant.

Questions have been raised over whether the Prime Minister continues to have faith in his senior mandarin.

But No 10 insiders claim Mr Case would not still be in his job unless Mr Sunak wanted him there.

A Downing Street source said: “The PM retains confidence in the Cabinet Secretary.”

But Government officials who worked with Mr Case said the messages are “indefensible”.

One insider said: “He was the most indiscreet man in Government. There are messages that have been sent that will be impossible to defend. He’ll have to go.”

Mr Case described himself as “Mr Killjoy” in meetings with “bouncing Boris J” because the then PM was too optimistic about the economy during the Covid crisis.

Mr Case made the remark in a June 2020 exchange with former health secretary Matt Hancock, in which he said he got “stuck with PM enthusing about how there were great opportunities for the economy”, ­adding a facepalm emoji.

In other conversations, Mr Case said Mr Johnson was a “distrusted” figure and suggested it was “hilarious” travellers were being “locked up” in quarantine hotels.

Mr Case also described then chancellor Mr Sunak as “going bonkers” about NHS Test and Trace guidance being tightened for the hospitality sector. The messages were leaked to a national newspaper as part of a cache of 100,000 WhatsApps from Mr Hancock’s phone. They were provided by Isabel Oakeshott, the author of his book Pandemic Diaries.

Mr Hancock has criticised the leak, saying the messages provide only a partial account of what happened.

Mr Case is thought to be considering his position.

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