London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Aug 02, 2025

Outrage as No 10 rules out urgent inquiry into Covid mistakes

Outrage as No 10 rules out urgent inquiry into Covid mistakes

Exclusive: bereaved families are told that ‘people who would need to give evidence’ are ‘working round clock’

The government has caused anger among bereaved families by telling them it will be too busy to start an inquiry into the UK’s handling of the Covid pandemic for months.

In a six-page letter to lawyers for thousands of families calling for an immediate statutory public inquiry, the government said “an inquiry now is not appropriate” and “the very people who would need to give evidence to an inquiry are working round the clock”. It said “it is not anticipated that the government’s workload will ease in the coming months”.

In a position statement that appears to kick Boris Johnson’s promise of an inquiry into the long grass, the government told the Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice group its “entire focus” was on delivering vaccines and preparing for “the effects of the third wave of the virus currently being experienced in neighbouring countries”. The letter, sent on 1 April, also said mechanisms to learn lessons were already in place, citing inquiries by committees of MPs and the National Audit Office (NAO).

But the bereaved families believe that with infection rates falling to the lowest levels since early September 2020 and nearly two-thirds of the adult population having received at least one vaccine dose, the launch of an inquiry is long overdue.

Jo Goodman, co-founder of the Covid bereaved group, described the government’s position as “procrastination” and “an insult to the bereaved [and] prevents the government from protecting future lives to the best of their ability”.

It sets ministers in opposition to the archbishop of Canterbury who last week told the Guardian an inquiry should start now with the power to subpoena witnesses and take evidence under oath.

He spoke as he visited the National Covid Memorial Wall in London, inscribed with more than 150,000 red hearts representing UK deaths from the virus. Labour has called for inquiry preparations to begin so it can start in earnest as soon as lockdown measures are lifted, which is currently scheduled to happen on 21 June. Other supporters of a full public inquiry include the government scientific adviser Prof John Edmunds, the head of the civil service under David Cameron, Bob Kerslake, the Royal College of Nursing and the British Medical Association.


But the government told the bereaved its “response to the pandemic is at a critical phase” and “there is simply no capacity for government to pause these efforts and divert resources to an intensive independent inquiry”.

Its position was set out in correspondence relating to a potential legal action by the bereaved against ministers. They allege the UK’s pandemic response failed to take sufficient steps to protect the public and therefore under human rights law, an inquiry must begin. The government denies this.

Ministers argue several key issues have already been investigated by parliamentary committees and the NAO which has reported on provision of ventilators, procurement of personal protective equipment, protecting the clinically vulnerable and the impact on adult social care. However, select committees cannot mandate ministers to attend and are subject to political influence, and Goodman said they amounted to “MPs marking their own homework”. She said a judge was needed.

“How long will grieving families be left without answers, without assurance that the mistakes that led to our loved one’s deaths are not repeated?” Goodman said. “We are not confident that a government can prepare effectively for future waves without first analysing and learning from the evidence as to what does and doesn’t work.”

A government spokesperson said “an independent inquiry at the appropriate time” will be part of “opportunities to look back and learn lessons”. But, they said, it is “rightly focused on protecting public health and saving lives through the vaccination programme and ongoing restrictions in place”.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Germany Enters Fiscal Crisis as Cabinet Approves €174 Billion in New Debt
Trump Administration Finalizes Broad Tariff Increases on Global Trade Partners
J.K. Rowling Limits Public Engagements Citing Safety Fears
JD.com Launches €2.2 Billion Bid for German Electronics Retailer Ceconomy
Azerbaijan Proceeds with Plan to Legalise Casinos on Artificial Islands
Former Judge Charged After Drunk Driving Crash Kills Comedian in Brazil
Jeff Bezos hasn’t paid a dollar in taxes for decades. He makes billions and pays $0 in taxes, LEGALLY
China Increases Use of Exit Bans Amid Rising U.S. Tensions
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Procter & Gamble to Raise U.S. Prices to Offset One‑Billion‑Dollar Tariff Cost
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
Botswana Seeks Controlling Stake in De Beers as Anglo American Prepares Exit
Trump Administration Proposes Repeal of Obama‑Era Endangerment Finding, Dismantling Regulatory Basis for CO₂ Emissions Limits
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
A family has been arrested in the UK for displaying the British flag
Mel Gibson refuses to work with Robert De Niro, saying, "Keep that woke clown away from me."
Trump Steamrolls EU in Landmark Trade Win: US–EU Trade Deal Imposes 15% Tariff on European Imports
ChatGPT CEO Sam Altman says people share personal info with ChatGPT but don’t know chats can be used as court evidence in legal cases.
The British propaganda channel BBC News lies again.
Deputy attorney general's second day of meeting with Ghislaine Maxwell has concluded
Controversial March in Switzerland Features Men Dressed in Nazi Uniforms
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
Thai Civilian Death Toll Rises to 12 in Cambodian Cross-Border Attacks
TSUNAMI: Trump Just Crossed the Rubicon—And There’s No Turning Back
Over 120 Criminal Cases Dismissed in Boston Amid Public Defender Shortage
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
Trump Announces $550 Billion Japanese Investment and New Trade Agreements with Indonesia and the Philippines
US Treasury Secretary Calls for Institutional Review of Federal Reserve Amid AI‑Driven Growth Expectations
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Severe Flooding in South Korea Claims Lives Amid Ongoing Rescue Operations
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
US Revokes Visas of Brazilian Corrupted Judges Amid Fake Bolsonaro Investigation
U.S. Congress Approves Rescissions Act Cutting Federal Funding for NPR and PBS
North Korea Restricts Foreign Tourist Access to New Seaside Resort
Brazil's Supreme Court Imposes Radical Restrictions on Former President Bolsonaro
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
Von der Leyen Faces Setback Over €2 Trillion EU Budget Proposal
UK and Germany Collaborate on Global Military Equipment Sales
Trump Plans Over 10% Tariffs on African and Caribbean Nations
×