Former PM Boris Johnson arrived early at the Covid-19 Inquiry to avoid protesters today – but they confronted him on the way out after he made startling admission
Boris Johnson presents a rather diminished figure these days compared to the exuberant politician who was running the country as Covid-19 struck.
Back then this was a popular Prime Minister with the common touch. He had little grasp of detail but that didn’t seem to matter and only made the former Have I Got News for You presenter more relatable.
Yesterday the Covid-19 Inquiry heard more startling evidence, if any were needed, that he was simply the wrong Prime Minister at the wrong time. The Partygate PM finally admitted the “full horror” of Covid-19 was “slow to dawn on” his Tory pandemic government.
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Mr Johnson faced questions from Clair Dobbin KC who is counsel for the inquiry. Her legal firm’s website carries a quote about her saying: “She is a silent assassin as a cross examiner.” Boris Johnson seemed to find that out as her quietly relentless lines of questioning wore him down.
He was was grilled on why his government was slow to prepare for the closure of schools and remote learning. The unprecedented decision to close schools was announced suddenly on March 18 and came into effect two days later.
Mr Johnson said: “I accept that the reality was slow to dawn on government generally about the full horror of Covid.”
Research increasingly shows many children’s development were badly affected by closures and isolation, particularly those in households without usable computers or chaotic homes where learning was not possible, where carers had mental health and addiction issues.
The inquiry has heard how a national plan for remote learning was not worked on during February 2020 when it became clear it may be needed before a sudden policy U-turn in mid-March.
Boris Johnson had a small coughing fit just as the first session was called to break. He now presents a rather diminished figure in person compared to his appearance during his time in high office.
Wearing a dark blue suit, blue patterned tie and brown ankle boots, he appears smaller in stature these days and more tired. His blonde bouffant hair is a little thinner than in its pre-pandemic heyday.
When faced with detail from correspondence from around the time his decisions were made, he increasingly fell back on people understanding how he couldn’t possibly be expected to remember exactly what happened and when. Comments like “forgive me, I’m at a loss” and “from the best of my memory” were increasingly met with unsympathetic stares from Clair Dobbin and those in the public gallery.
Around 25 people had made it into the full public gallery, around half a dozen of whom are wearing face masks, and they watched the former PM intently with stern faces.
Mr Johnson had arrived at Dorland House at around 7am while it was still dark – three hours before the start of his hearing – seemingly to avoid members of the public whose lives have been turned upside down by his government’s decisions.
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He could not avoid coming face-to-face with their raw anger as he hurriedly left the building after giving evidence to shouts of “shame on you” and “liar”.
The crowd included parents of children left with Long Covid and one screamed at him “this happened to our children on your watch”. Many are angry he reopened schools without stringent social distancing, mask wearing and ventilation in classrooms. Some kids who caught the virus at that time have been left seriously disabled.
Chair Baroness Heather Hallett will deliver her verdict on Boris Johnson’s government at the conclusion of this inquiry but large swathes of the Great British public have already made up their mind.