Former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson presided over a “toxic and chaotic” response to the COVID-19 pandemic, a public inquiry concluded on Thursday, blaming his indecision and delays for approximately 23,000 additional deaths.
The report, led by former judge Heather Hallett, described a government at the center of disorder, where the loudest voices dominated decision-making and concerns from colleagues—particularly women—were often ignored. The inquiry highlighted that Britain, which recorded more than 230,000 COVID deaths, faced one of the highest death tolls in Western Europe.
Flowers are left at the National Covid Memorial Wall, on the south bank of the river Thames in London, Thursday, March 14, 2024.(AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali)
Hallett said Johnson underestimated the virus in early 2020, distracted by Brexit negotiations, and repeatedly failed to act in time. “Had Britain locked down just a week earlier on March 16, the number of deaths in the first wave up to July would have been reduced by about 23,000 or 48%,” the report stated. By the time a lockdown was announced on March 23, it was deemed “too little, too late.”
The inquiry also scrutinized key figures in Johnson’s administration. Dominic Cummings, his top adviser, was described as a “destabilising influence” who strayed beyond his role, while Health Secretary Matt Hancock faced criticism for breaches of restrictions and questions about his reliability in meetings.
Johnson himself appeared before the committee in 2023, acknowledging complacency and “vastly underestimating” the risks, and apologised for public anger. No immediate comment was made following Thursday’s report, as reported in Reuters.
The inquiry, which Johnson initiated in May 2021, also addressed the infamous “Partygate” scandals, which contributed to his resignation in July 2022. Both Johnson and Rishi Sunak, then finance minister, were fined for breaching lockdown rules, while Hancock resigned after photos showed him inappropriately close contact with an aide.
COVID campaigners and families of those who died during the pandemic hold placards as they protest outside the COVID Inquiry at Dorland House, where British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is giving evidence, in London, Monday, Dec. 11, 2023. Sunak was Chancellor of the Exchequer during the pandemic and is likely to be questioned about the impact of his policies such as the Eat Out to Help Out scheme had on the spread of the outbreak. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)
The second tranche of findings includes 19 recommendations aimed at improving the UK’s readiness for future pandemics. Its first module had already condemned Britain’s lack of preparation, suggesting that better planning could have reduced both financial and human costs.
Families of COVID victims voiced their frustration, with campaign groups stating: “It is devastating to think of the lives that could have been saved under a different Prime Minister.”
The report paints a damning portrait of leadership failures and a government culture that, according to the inquiry, amplified the human toll of the crisis.
