Boris Johnson was at odds with advisers as he battled to keep England open

Fresh picture is emerging of government infighting as Covid-19 cases ticked upwards in the autumn

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It is a well-worn tale in Westminster that Boris Johnson used to joke that his political hero was the mayor in the film Jaws, who defied advice and kept the beaches open, despite a shark attack and the risk of further attacks.

It is that metaphor that seems particularly apt as sources recall the events in the run-up to England's second lockdown. A different picture is now emerging of the battles that went on within government as Covid-19 cases ticked upwards in the autumn.