Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
PM’S YES TO PROBE ..AT LAST » »
Boris the botcher But he won’t give caves in to pressure start date of inquiry
BORIS Johnson yesterday committed for the first time to holding an independent probe into his Government’s botched handling of the pandemic.
The PM caved in to pressure for an inquiry over the UK’S coronavirus response but refused to give details on when it would begin.
He previously snubbed calls for independent scrutiny of the Government’s record on several issues.
They include shortages of protective kit for NHS staff and testing capacity, as well as the early decision to discharge elderly people into care homes without tests.
Mr Johnson was pressed by the
Lib Dems’ acting leader Sir Ed Davey at Prime Minister’s Questions on the need for an inquiry.
The PM said: “I don’t believe that now, in the middle of combating a pandemic, is the right moment to devote huge amounts of official time to an inquiry.
“But, of course, we will seek to learn the lessons of this pandemic in the future and certainly we’ll have an independent inquiry into what happened.”
No10 refused to give further details on timing, saying it would be “set out in due course”.
Relatives who have lost loved ones said the vague commitment was a “long way” from what is needed.
The Covid Families for Justice campaign said: “We’ve been asking the PM to meet us for over a month but have been met with silence. It’s disappointing. “If he listened to our concerns he’d understand the many urgent lessons that need to be learned now.” The group, who met Labour leader Keir Starmer yesterday, condemned Mr Johnson for failing to offer his condolences.
An independent inquiry could have legal powers to compel witnesses and limit government control. Mr Johnson backed a similar probe after the 2003 invasion of Iraq.
The PM was also challenged yesterday on preparations for a second spike of the deadly virus after a report commissioned by government scientists warned that there could be 120,000 hospital deaths in a “reasonable worst-case scenario”.
Mr Johnson only said he was “aware of the report” when Mr Starmer asked if he had actually
PM’S vague promise is a long way from what is actually needed now
COVID FAMILIES ON MR JOHNSON’S COMMITMENT
read the grim findings. The PM also came under fire for making a joke about the Labour leader “having more briefs than Calvin Klein” in response to demands for a message to the bereaved Covid families group.
Mr Starmer’s spokesman said the jibe “tells you everything you need to know about the Prime Minister’s flippant approach to this crisis and his style of leadership”.
The clash came as Health Secretary Matt Hancock confirmed facemasks will have to be worn “for the foreseeable future” after the Mirror revealed they would be required into next year.
The Government’s public messaging has been confused, with top ministers taking conflicting approaches to mask-wearing. No10 contradicted
Mr Hancock after he defended Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove for failing to wear a mask in Pret A Manger on Tuesday.
Mr Hancock said coverings must be worn in shops in England from July 24 – but No10 said takeaway purchases would be exempt.
Chancellor Rishi Sunak was seen wearing a mask in the same branch of the sandwich chain yesterday.
Mr Johnson will tomorrow set out plans to get millions of workers in England safely back to work.
His “roadmap”, to include details on using public transport, will come amid top-level concerns over ongoing damage to the economy.