Boris Johnson to apologise to Covid inquiry but say he got big calls right
Boris Johnson to apologise to Covid inquiry but say he got big calls right
But the former PM will argue robustly his government got many big pandemic calls right, sources say.
All those lives and an apology is enough?
It will be enough for all the people who think he's great, unfortunately - and there's sadly a lot more of them than you'd rationally expect to exist.
For those who think he's their mate
If he got everything right, why apologise?
He shook hands with a covid patient and it nearly killed him. He didn't have the skill set and he knows it.
This is the best summary I could come up with:
Mr Johnson will talk with pride about the vaccines programme and argue the UK emerged the final lockdown earlier than other comparable economies.
Those around Mr Johnson are letting it be known the broad tenor and scope of the arguments he is expected to make, before what could be up to ten hours of questioning from lawyers.
His former director of communications, Lee Cain, said the pandemic was the "wrong crisis" for Mr Johnson's "skill set", describing dither and delay.
And his former chief adviser, Dominic Cummings, has long described the former prime minister as "the trolley" due to his tendency to veer around and constantly change his mind.
He will also defend his use of colourful language and phrases, and the adoption of provocative positions in private - saying it helped him get the best out of his advisers and it is not wise for a prime minister to sit in silence when being briefed by experts.
The former health secretary, Matt Hancock, has revealed in his written statement to the inquiry that "the then prime minister has apologised to me for appointing his chief adviser and for the damage he did to the response to Covid-19".
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