End the Covid pain

IT IS always fascinating to get a glimpse behind the closed doors in the corridors of power during times of national crisis.

So the leak of Matt Hancock’s private WhatsApp exchanges with ministers, officials and scientists as Covid ran wild triggered a string of headlines yesterday.

The disclosure, which has enraged the former health secretary, offers an insight into when, how and why the Government made crucial choices during the pandemic.

One message is used to accuse Mr Hancock of ignoring scientific advice to test all people entering care homes in early 2020, a situation that contributed to thousands of deaths, which he denies.

Other messages suggest the Government blindly ‘followed the science’ – however questionable it was. But Mr Hancock’s communications still lack full context and so the public inquiry into the handling of Covid-19 is vital. Yet while other countries have wrapped up their investigations, Britain’s is moving at a glacial pace.

Announced almost two years ago, it has so far cost a colossal £85million of taxpayers’ money but has taken no evidence. Britain is still paying the price for lockdowns which inflicted unnecessary suffering.

Ministers and officials need holding to account, and we must learn lessons amid the threat of another pandemic. Those who endured so much pain during this nightmare deserve answers – and quickly.