Covid-19 inquiry: No-deal Brexit prep stopped intensive care drugs ‘running out’, says Matt Hancock June 27, 2023 Preparations for a no-deal Brexit meant vital intensive care drugs were prevented from running out during the pandemic, Matt Hancock has told the UK Covid-19 Inquiry. Crucial medicines were “within hours of running out” in the midst of the coronavirus crisis, the former health secretary said while giving evidence to the UK’s official inquiry. Asked [...]
Not ‘sufficient thought’ into stopping Covid-19, Chris Whitty tells inquiry June 22, 2023 Government “did not give sufficient thought” into stopping the pandemic in its tracks, Sir Chris Whitty has told the official Covid-19 inquiry. The chief medical officer for England has said options to stop a disease outbreak on the scale of coronavirus were not considered fully enough by ministers ahead of the crisis. Giving evidence today, [...]
Covid-19 inquiry: Flu-based pandemic prep meant herd immunity was seen as ‘inevitable’, says Hunt June 21, 2023 Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has said the focus on any future pandemic being flu-based meant there was a “shared assumption herd immunity was inevitably” going to be the strategy used to contain a new virus. He admitted being part of “groupthink” when he was health secretary, leading to a “narrowness of thinking” that failed to expand [...]
‘Mistake’ to focus on flu in pandemic preparedness, David Cameron admits June 19, 2023 David Cameron has admitted it was a “mistake” for his government to focus too heavily on preparing for an influenza wave rather than a potential coronavirus pandemic. The former Conservative prime minister told the official Covid-19 inquiry, which is currently examining the UK’s readiness to respond to a disease outbreak, the decision led to “many [...]
Boris Johnson probed by cops over fresh lockdown breach allegations May 24, 2023 ‘Partygate’ PM Boris Johnson is under police investigation following fresh claims he allegedly breached lockdown rules, it emerged last night. The disgraced ex-prime minister has been reported to the Met Police by the Cabinet Office after new evidence came to light that he may have breached the Covid-19 pandemic rules. Johnson allegedly hosted friends at [...]
Defiant Boris Johnson insists ‘I did not lie’ and claimed boozy leaving do was ‘essential’ March 22, 2023 A defiant Boris Johnson insisted he “did not lie to the House” and claimed a boozy leaving do was “essential for work” in a fiery evidence session set to determine his political future. Johnson underwent a fierce grilling by the cross-party privileges committee, as MPs aimed to decide if he misled – intentionally or recklessly [...]
Allies fear Boris Johnson walking into a partygate ‘witch hunt’ – with a comeback at risk March 19, 2023 Former prime minister Boris Johnson could face a “witch hunt” before MPs at a grilling over his involvement in the lockdown-busting partygate scandal, a key ally has warned. Lord Greenhalgh, who was a deputy mayor during Johnson’s tenure at City Hall, said he was “concerned it will be a witch hunt” and hoped he would [...]
Matt Hancock leaked Whatsapps not ‘matter’ for data breach inquiry, says regulator March 2, 2023 Matt Hancock’s leaked Whatsapps about the Covid-19 pandemic are not a subject for a data breach investigation “at this stage”, a top regulator has said. Journalist Isabel Oakeshott, who worked with former health secretary Hancock on his book, Pandemic Diaries, handed over thousands of Whatsapp messages to the Telegraph. The paper published claims including that [...]
PMQs: Sunak escapes Brexit grilling amid Hancock WhatsApp row March 1, 2023 Prime minister Rishi Sunak has escaped a major Brexit grilling over the Windsor Framework amid a row over former health secretary Matt Hancock’s leaked Covid-19 WhatsApp messages. The PM – whose latest EU trade agreement is widely hoped to end the power-sharing deadlock in Northern Ireland – dodged intense scrutiny over the deal in the [...]
Matt Hancock denies claims he ignored Covid care home testing advice March 1, 2023 Matt Hancock has denied claims he ignored expert advice on care home testing during the coronavirus pandemic after leaked WhatsApp messages were published by the Telegraph. Journalist Isabel Oakeshott shared more than 100,000 messages with the newspaper after receiving them while working on Hancock’s Pandemic Diaries book, including text exchanges with Boris Johnson, Rishi Sunak [...]