Dominic Cummings says he heard Boris Johnson say he would rather “let the bodies pile high” than hit the economy again with a third lockdown.
“I heard that in the PM’s study” immediately after Mr Johnson made the second lockdown decision on 31 October, he said.
Live updates as Dominic Cummings gives evidence on government’s handling of COVID pandemic
Mr Cummings has told a select committee that the PM said he regretted ordering the first lockdown, and when he ordered the second, said he did not want to make the same mistake again.
The prime minister has repeatedly denied using that phrase.