The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Covid inquiry plea to new chairman
Grieving families who lost loved ones to coronavirus expect the new chairman of a public inquiry into the handling of the virus to “restore their confidence” in the process after it was plunged into crisis, a solicitor has said.
Lady Poole quit as inquiry chairwoman in October, citing personal reasons, alongside four lawyers.
A solicitor representing families affected by Covid19 said the resignation resulted in “dismay and anger at the delay” it would cause.
Lord Brailsford was appointed as her successor by Deputy First Minister John Swinney and yesterday the families in the Scottish branch of the UK group Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice will meet the new chairman.
Ahead of the meeting, Aamer Anwar, the solicitor acting for the group, said Lord Brailsford’s first task “must be to win the trust of the bereaved families”.
Mr Anwar said: “The grieving families will look to Lord Brailsford to restore their confidence that the Scottish public inquiry will be an effective mechanism to ensure that no institution, and no minister of government, whether they be Scottish, Welsh, UK or Northern Irish, is allowed to escape robust scrutiny.”
The Scottish inquiry was set up by Holyrood ministers and will run alongside the Uk-wide inquiry. To date, it has cost taxpayers more than £2 million.
It was set up to investigate areas such as pre-pandemic planning, the decision to go into lockdown, the supply and distribution of personal protective equipment and how coronavirus was dealt with in care homes.
Mr Anwar said: “For the last two years the families that we represent have campaigned for an independent public inquiry to take place into the handling of the pandemic.
“These families have fought to hold to account those in charge of our public institutions, because thousands died who didn’t need to.”
Families had previously told the deputy first minister they felt “betrayed” by the inquiry, which they said had promised to keep them front and centre.
When Lord Brailsford was appointed he said: “I promise the families I will work independently to establish the facts and ensure the inquiry thoroughly examines the decisions taken throughout the pandemic.”