Western Morning News (Saturday)
Government urged to hold immediate Covid inquiry
FORMER Devon MP Sarah Wollaston is calling for an immediate inquiry into the handling of the Covid-19 emergency in the UK.
Dr Wollaston, a GP, was chair of the influential Commons Health Select Committee until she lost her Totnes seat at the December 2019 general election.
Earlier this week Boris Johnson, the Prime Minister, promised an investigation “in the future” so lessons could be learned.
But Dr Wollaston said an inquiry was needed now – not to apportion blame but the ensure that the country is ready for a second wave of the coronavirus in the winter.
She said it should be conducted on the lines of the 2012 Commission on Banking Standards after the Libor scandal.
That was a cross-party commission with members from both Houses of Parliament.
Dr Wollaston said that would be able to move much faster than a judge-led inquiry, and would be able to use all the resources already available in Parliament.
“In the case of the banking commission, the leaders of all political parties signed up to it, and that created trust because it was cross-party.
“Mr Johnson doesn’t want that. He wants it to be held when this is all over.
“A lot of us are concerned that there will be a significant second wave of the virus in the winter.”
The South West has had among the lowest incidence of Covid-19 in the country, but Dr Wollaston warned that it was already increasing.
“Up to now we’ve been spared, but are we going to start seeing an increase in cases as tourists start to visit?”
“There has to be an inquiry soon. The Government keeps talking about being world-beating, but the only thing they are world-beating at is having the highest number of deaths in Europe.
“They were late getting personal protective equipment.
“There was a dismal failure to protect people in care homes.
“They have been very slow in getting track-and-trace up and running.”
She said Britain needed to learn from health systems which had handled the crisis well, such as Germany.
“The Government doesn’t show any signs of acknowledging what they have done. Unless they are prepared to acknowledge there has been a failure, how on Earth are we going to be confident that they will get it right in future?” She said that when the dust settles there can be a future judge-led inquiry.
The Goivernment has so far failed to secure a trade deal with the EU for when the transition period ends at the end of this year. Dr Wollaston said that would increase the pressure, as the medical supplies stockpiled last year would have been used up.