During a meeting in July 2021, Rishi Sunak strongly advocated for the removal of all lockdown restrictions. According to the Covid inquiry, Boris Johnson used derogatory terms such as “malingering” and “workshy” to refer to people.
During the meeting, the former chancellor and prime minister were in opposition to Michael Gove and Sajid Javid’s “more conservative” stance, as noted in a diary entry by Sir Patrick Vallance, the former chief scientific adviser. This meeting occurred while Covid-19 cases and hospitalizations were on the rise.
The post stated that the PM appeared somber and discussed bleak forecasts. According to [Javid], we must come to terms with this situation and potentially face death, the PM added.
During his time as health secretary from June 2021 to July 2022, Javid stated during the inquiry on Wednesday that it was a possibility that Johnson had said the reported words.
During these meetings, the prime minister often made statements that were difficult to distinguish between his true thoughts and a joke, even when discussing important matters.
The entry states that Sunak is advocating for a quicker and more complete lifting of restrictions, with a focus on removing all limitations. He consistently emphasizes the importance of the vaccine, stating “we either believe in it or we don’t.” It was also noted that without the vaccine, we would currently be facing another lockdown.
In regards to Johnson, it stated: “He insists on having all employees return to work without consulting with them or trade unions. He believes there are individuals who are avoiding work and need to come back.”
Vallance stated in his entry that the entire meeting was characterized by “political posturing” and that officials in the civil service were concerned. He also mentioned that he and England’s chief medical officer, Sir Chris Whitty, had clearly communicated the potential risks.
Javid’s statement that Johnson was not leading the government during the pandemic and that Cummings acted as “prime minister in all but name” was refuted by Raab’s testimony.
“I do not agree with the portrayal of a puppet government,” stated the ex-foreign secretary during the inquiry.
Raab, who resigned this year after a report on alleged bullying behaviour towards civil servants, mounted a defence of Cummings, who has been accused of contributing to a toxic environment at No 10.
According to Raab, Cummings’ role at the inquiry was to inspire the direction in which they were headed and to provide some challenge or inconvenience.
During heated discussions, he claimed that Andrew O’Connor KC, the counsel for the inquiry, was being dismissive when O’Connor pointed out that Raab was using “management speak” to describe his idea of using a “perpetual beta” approach to making decisions during crises.
During times of crisis, the response may not be perfectly polished and some individuals may feel hurt or affected by the pressure. This may be due to inappropriate behavior. I understand this issue and recognize that there is a larger problem with how things are carried out in Whitehall.
Raab defended his going on a series of overseas government trips and on a family skiing holiday as the pandemic loomed and as initial cases were appearing in Britain, insisting he very rarely went on holiday in what was a “gruelling” role and that he would have been umbilically linked to chains of communication no matter what.
The ex-minister shared that he was given a brief notice of only five minutes in April 2020 when he was asked to serve as deputy for the prime minister, who was hospitalized with the virus. He mentioned that the preparation beforehand had been lacking, but there was an agreement when he was initially chosen as deputy prime minister by Johnson, who assured him by saying: “You have my support.”
Raabs stated that his initial action was to gather the team and hold a cabinet meeting, acknowledging that he was mindful of the perception of the moment.
He stated, “I did not want anyone suggesting that Dom Raab was enjoying this too much, because I was not, and I was there to fulfill my duties.”
Source: theguardian.com
