COBRA Explained: How UK Government Handles a Crisis

Uh, is it, um, a, a, a buried room deep in the bowels of Whitehall? Um, well, you'd think so from film, film and television, but the reality is somewhat different.

Now, I think between us, Alan, you and I have probably spent more hours in Cobra meetings than we care to remember.

I mean, what are your, you know, r- reminiscences about Cobra and your involvement?

Well, my reminiscences are sort of twofold.

One is there were days or weeks where you'd have a crisis where you felt you were in Cobra almost in permanent session, but actually you weren't.

You were normally there for just half an hour or so, and then you'd take away actions and, and do them.

And, and other times, you'd hear Cobra had been called, and I think if you're a member of the public, you think that's probably quite a good thing, but you've heard of it, but you've no idea what it is, where it is, and what it does, and that's what hopefully we can, um, unravel in this part of the Hidden Wiring.

And the first thing which you referred to, Robert, is people think it's some hidden bunker deep below 10 Downing Street.

I mean, I've worked in 10 Downing Street, and as far as I know, there are no bunkers under 10 Downing Street.

There's a deep one under, um, the MOD called Pindar, which is supposedly safe from nuclear attack, but Cobra is not.

It's in cabinet office next door to number 10.

The prime minister can walk around through to the link door, and whilst it's secure, uh, in that you have to hand in your phones and be, uh, security checked, it is basically a meeting room where crises are tackled and actions decided.

So, so, so we've busted one myth that there is no bunker under number 10, but there is one in the MOD, uh, which, uh, I've not, uh, visited.

I've visited quite a few-

Yeah

... briefing rooms in the MOD that are extremely well, uh, uh, provisioned.

I have to say, the one in the cabinet office is a bit more basic.

But let's just-

Yeah

... walk people in through the door.

If you're coming into the cabinet office, it's at 70 Whitehall, rather, uh, attractive stuccoed building, which, by the way, is a bit of a, a, um, a facade behind which lurks the remnants of the great Tudor Palace.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

But never mind about that.

You come in, you turn right, you go down the corridor, and then you're at a reception area where, as you've just said, you've gotta hand in your phones.

Mm-hmm.

Uh, is it, um, a, a, a buried room deep in the bowels of Whitehall? Um, well, you'd think so from film, film and television, but the reality is somewhat different.

Now, I think between us, Alan, you and I have probably spent more hours in Cobra meetings than we care to remember.

I mean, what are your, you know, r- reminiscences about Cobra and your involvement?

Well, my reminiscences are sort of twofold.

One is there were days or weeks where you'd have a crisis where you felt you were in Cobra almost in permanent session, but actually you weren't.

You were normally there for just half an hour or so, and then you'd take away actions and, and do them.

And, and other times, you'd hear Cobra had been called, and I think if you're a member of the public, you think that's probably quite a good thing, but you've heard of it, but you've no idea what it is, where it is, and what it does, and that's what hopefully we can, um, unravel in this part of the Hidden Wiring.

And the first thing which you referred to, Robert, is people think it's some hidden bunker deep below 10 Downing Street.

I mean, I've worked in 10 Downing Street, and as far as I know, there are no bunkers under 10 Downing Street.

There's a deep one under, um, the MOD called Pindar, which is supposedly safe from nuclear attack, but Cobra is not.

It's in cabinet office next door to number 10.

The prime minister can walk around through to the link door, and whilst it's secure, uh, in that you have to hand in your phones and be, uh, security checked, it is basically a meeting room where crises are tackled and actions decided.

So, so, so we've busted one myth that there is no bunker under number 10, but there is one in the MOD, uh, which, uh, I've not, uh, visited.

I've visited quite a few-

Yeah

... briefing rooms in the MOD that are extremely well, uh, uh, provisioned.

I have to say, the one in the cabinet office is a bit more basic.

But let's just-

Yeah

... walk people in through the door.

If you're coming into the cabinet office, it's at 70 Whitehall, rather, uh, attractive stuccoed building, which, by the way, is a bit of a, a, um, a facade behind which lurks the remnants of the great Tudor Palace.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

But never mind about that.

You come in, you turn right, you go down the corridor, and then you're at a reception area where, as you've just said, you've gotta hand in your phones.

Mm-hmm.