1 year ago

Ask John Rentoul anything as Boris Johnson gives evidence at the Covid inquiry

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Boris Johnson faces a mammoth task to salvage his reputation as he finally appears before Covid inquiry this week. The former prime minister is expected to apologise for “unquestionably” making mistakes in his government’s handling of the pandemic in two marathon evidence sessions on Wednesday and Thursday. It comes after an explosive two months at the inquiry, which heard Mr Johnson was “obsessed with older people accepting their fate” and dying from the virus; entrusted his top adviser Dominic Cummings with too much power; and wanted to “let the bodies pile high” to avoid imposing a second Covid lockdown. As we hear from the man in charge of the UK’s Covid response, I’m on hand to answer any of your questions about the former prime minister and the Covid inquiry.

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History of this topic

1 year ago

Argumentative, angry and arm-waving: The old Boris Johnson was back on the second day of the Covid Inquiry

The Independent

Boris Johnson spent much of Thursday apologising again, but the one time he actually looked embarrassed was when it was revealed he told a meeting: “F*** YOU Daily Mail”. Lead counsel Hugo Keith suggested Johnson had “secretly held views” that the virus should “let rip”. Someone in the public seats hissed out: “Shame on you!” Keith continued probing, citing evidence …

1 year ago

John Rentoul answers your questions as Boris Johnson is grilled at the Covid inquiry

The Independent

1 year ago

'Completely wrong': Ex-British PM Boris Johnson on allegations of letting COVID-19 'rip' through UK

India TV News

Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Thursday rejected allegations that he wanted to let the COVID-19 pandemic "rip" through the UK population while defending his handling of the pandemic during a high-profile public inquiry into the crisis. Hugo Keith KC, the lead counsel to the inquiry, quizzed the former PM on whether his best approach was to "let the …

1 year ago

Former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson admits to making mistakes but defends COVID record at inquiry

Associated Press

LONDON — Former U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson acknowledged Wednesday that his government was too slow to grasp the extent of the COVID-19 crisis, but skirted questions about whether his indecisiveness had cost thousands of lives. Testifying under oath at Britain’s COVID-19 public inquiry, Johnson acknowledged that “we underestimated the scale and the pace of the challenge” when reports of …

1 year ago

Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson admits mistakes but defends COVID record

LA Times

Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson testifies before a public inquiry into the country’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Testifying under oath at Britain’s COVID-19 public inquiry, Johnson acknowledged that “we underestimated the scale and the pace of the challenge” when reports of a new virus began to emerge from China in early 2020. In diaries that have been seen …

1 year ago

Ten questions for Boris Johnson to answer at the Covid inquiry

The Independent

Perhaps surprisingly, over his long and eventful life, Boris Johnson has never been on trial. I wonder if that may persuade Johnson that it doesn’t matter that much – and that his most important audience isn’t the lawyers and the inquiry chair, Baroness Hallett, but rather his “base” at home, who he’ll need to rely on for any political comeback. …

1 year, 1 month ago

Watch: Chief medical officer Chris Whitty gives evidence to Britain’s Covid inquiry

The Independent

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Watch as chief medical officer …

1 year, 1 month ago

Covid was ‘wrong crisis’ for Boris Johnson to handle, ex-Comms chief tells inquiry

The Independent

1 year, 1 month ago

Boris Johnson’s former top aide is withering about UK government during COVID-19 pandemic inquiry

Associated Press

LONDON — The former top aide to ex-British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Tuesday painted a picture of widespread chaos and dysfunction in the U.K. government during the coronavirus pandemic. He went to work in Downing Street when Johnson became prime minister in 2019, filling a loosely defined but powerful role that saw him dubbed “Boris’ brain.” At one point …

1 year, 1 month ago

During pandemic, chaos reigned in British government, ex-aide to Boris Johnson says

LA Times

Former chief advisor to Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Dominic Cummings arrives to give a statement to the U.K. COVID-19 Inquiry at Dorland House in London on Tuesday. He went to work in Downing Street when Johnson became prime minister in 2019, filling a loosely defined but powerful role that saw him dubbed “Boris’ brain.” In May 2020 it was revealed …

1 year, 4 months ago

You’ll hate me for saying it, but the Covid inquiry is a colossal waste of time and money

The Independent

The best of Voices delivered to your inbox every week - from controversial columns to expert analysis Sign up for our free weekly Voices newsletter for expert opinion and columns Sign up to our free weekly Voices newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The danger …

1 year, 5 months ago

UK government loses legal bid to keep Boris Johnson's messages from COVID-19 inquiry

The Independent

1 year, 5 months ago

UK was ill-prepared for pandemic because resources were diverted to Brexit, ex-health chief says

The Independent

Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy …

1 year, 6 months ago

COVID-19 inquiry in UK asks whether ‘terrible consequences’ could have been avoided or reduced

Associated Press

LONDON — A mammoth three-year public inquiry into the U.K. government’s handling of the response to COVID-19 opened Tuesday by asking if some suffering and death could have been avoided with better planning — and whether Britain’s complex, protracted exit from the European Union distracted authorities from preparing for potential threats. Lawyer Hugo Keith, who is counsel to the inquiry, …

1 year, 6 months ago

150 questions the Covid inquiry wants Boris Johnson to answer

The Independent

1 year, 7 months ago

Covid inquiry threatens legal action after Boris Johnson’s WhatsApps ‘withheld’

The Independent

1 year, 7 months ago

5 key takeaways from row over Boris Johnson’s Covid inquiry WhatsApps

The Independent

2 years, 3 months ago

Boris Johnson partygate legal advice 'absolutely devastating' for inquiry's legitimacy

The Telegraph

The Cabinet Office has commissioned legal advice on the Commons inquiry into Boris Johnson's partygate claims, it has emerged. 'This isn't for Boris, but for all future PMs and MPs' They added that the advice will show that investigating ministers for misleading the House "in good faith” would create a chilling effect and would “paralyse democracy”. The legal advice is …

2 years, 5 months ago

Why Boris Johnson cannot escape the Commons inquiry into his Partygate ‘lies’ despite resigning

The Independent

It was the inquiry that threatened to trigger Boris Johnson’s departure from Downing Street – until the fibs told over the Chris Pincher groping allegations did the job instead. I’m referring to the contempt inquiry by a committee of MPs into whether the prime minister lied to the Commons over what he knew about the No 10 parties, the original …

2 years, 6 months ago

Boris Johnson’s ethics adviser hints he would have launched Partygate inquiry if power existed

The Independent

2 years, 8 months ago

MPs to vote on inquiry into how Boris Johnson misled parliament about No 10 parties

The Independent

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} MPs will vote …

2 years, 10 months ago

Living with Covid: What did Boris Johnson announce?

The Independent

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Boris Johnson unveiled his “Living with Covid” strategy during a …

2 years, 10 months ago

UK prime minister contacted by police over lockdown parties

India Today

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has received a questionnaire from London’s Metropolitan Police as part of the investigation into parties in Downing Street during Covid lockdowns, his office said Saturday. If he is found to have broken his government’s own Covid rules, the embattled prime minister could be fined and will face even more pressure to stand down from fellow …

2 years, 11 months ago

Inquiry into lockdown-busting No 10 parties to be ‘paused’ if police investigate, minister warns

The Independent

3 years, 7 months ago

Your Boris Johnson questions answered live by The Independent’s chief political commentator John Rentoul

The Independent

4 years, 2 months ago

Boris Johnson says claims he is suffering from long Covid are 'seditious propaganda'

The Independent

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2 weeks, 6 days ago