Covid Inquiry live: Boris Johnson arrives early for two days of evidence
Boris Johnson will face the first of two days of questioning over his handling of the pandemic when he appears before the UK Covid-19 Inquiry.
It's off to a bad start, with the former prime minister denying deleting WhatsApp messages after it emerged he had not been able to provide the inquiry with any communications from February to June 2020.
The highly anticipated appearance by Mr Johnson is expected to see him admit that his government made mistakes in its response to the virus, but argue that its decisions ultimately saved lives.
Covid Inquiry live: Boris Johnson arrives early for two days of evidence
Forget me not
Can't believe I'm writing this, but Boris Johnson is once again claiming he can't remember things that happened.
Asked about a call from Matt Hancock on March 13 urging an immediate lockdown, he says he doesn't recall it.
Adds he was in "virus fighting mode", which is a great phrase that has absolutely nothing to do with the question.
Grim reaper
Boris Johnson really on the back foot here now, especially when pinned on the details of his answers.
He refused to deny questioning why his government was “destroying everything for people who will die anyway soon”, and instead insisted the comment was not for broadcast.
Remember kids, if you say something horrible, it doesn't count if it's private.
Another one?
Another memory lapse for Boris Johnson, who can't remember why he met Evgeny Lebedev, the owner of the Evening Standard, days before lockdown.
Entirely unrelated, Mr Lebedev was nominated for a peerage by Mr Johnson in July 2020 and sits in the House of Lords.
Unavoidable
Boris Johnson now defending lockdowns, says it could not have been avoided with earlier measures.
He said: “We weren’t four weeks behind France of Italy, we were a couple of weeks, maybe less, and they were clearly wrong in their initial estimation, we were clearly wrong in our estimation of where the peak was going to be. So the penny dropped, we realised that on the evening of the 13th into 14th and then we acted. But I think once we decided to act it was pretty fast from flash to bang.”
The forgotten man
For those keeping score, so far Boris Johnson has been unable to remember:
If Matt Hancock told him a lockdown was required in March Why he met with Evgeny Lebedev days before lockdown (who he later gave a peerage) Why he skipped Cobra meetings If he expressed doubts about how fatal COVID was If a factory reset deleted the 5000 Whatsapps he failed to hand over to the committee
Any other business
Meanwhile in the Commons (remember that), Suella Braverman has given her first speech since being sacked.
Fresh from being heckled at the political cartoon awards, she warned the Conservatives face “electoral oblivion in a matter of months” if they introduce emergency Rwanda legislation which is “destined to fail”.
Like the last Rwanda legislation then, which has so far sent more journalists than asylum seekers.
Eat out to help out
Boris Johnson admits cases were rising again as the Out to Help Out Scheme was introduced in summer of 2020.
Given scientists say they weren't consulted on this, that Mr Johnson knew cases were already rising but signed off on it is completely damning.
That's all folks
There's a little more evidence to go, but I've got to go and write up everything that happened for the paper, which I'd advise you all to read tomorrow.
Between this, the Nicola Sturgeon case and a trove of other stories, it promises as ever, to be a good one.
Have a wonderful evening everyone.
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