PM will hold pandemic inquiry ‘within a year’

A “full, proper” public inquiry into the government’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic could be established within a year, Boris Johnson has said.

The prime minister committed to setting up the inquiry within the new session of Parliament which started yesterday.

Although there is no fixed length for a parliamentary session, they typically run for around a year.

“I can certainly say that we will do that within this session,” the prime minister told MPs in the House.

“I have made that clear before.

“I do believe it’s essential we have a full, proper public inquiry into the Covid pandemic.”

Mr Johnson was responding in the Commons to a question from Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey, who urged him to set up the inquiry “on behalf of bereaved families across the country”.