(From The Mirror, 12 May 2021)
Those who have lost loved ones to the virus are rightly furious the Prime Minister has delayed this inquiry until the spring of 2022 – not for the first time he’s putting his personal interests before those of the country.
After months of stalling, Boris Johnson has finally agreed to establish an inquiry into the coronavirus pandemic.
The case for an independent examination of how ministers, scientists and the NHS responded to the biggest public health emergency for a century was incontrovertible.
We need to know why Britain ended up having one of the highest death tolls in the world, why the NHS was not prepared for such a crisis, why it took so long to provide PPE.
Those who have lost loved ones to the vNOirus are rightly furious the Prime Minister has delayed this inquiry until the spring of 2022.
If there is, as Mr Johnson has suggested, a strong likelihood of a winter surge then we should have at least an interim investigation now so lessons can be learned which may help prevent further deaths.
By deferring the inquiry for a year the Prime Minister has clearly calculated the findings will not be published until after the next election.
Not for the first time he’s putting his personal interests before those of the country.
NOTE: There is an Independent People’s Inquiry, organised by Keep Our NHS Public and chaired by the eminent QC Michael Mansfield, being held right now. The coming meetings of this independent inquiry are advertised on our events list on the right of our home page. These meetings have been compelling, if dismaying, watching. Their findings will be published well in advance of a General Election!