Covid inquiry revelations show the value of an honest diary
The best diaries provoke as much thought as they record, says Sean O’Grady
Sir Patrick Vallance’s diaries – a nightly “mind dump” he undertook during the pandemic – have acquired great importance during the official Covid-19 Inquiry. They contain his private, unvarnished views on the official response to the pandemic, and some especially damaging remarks about the performances of Boris Johnson and (to a lesser extent) Rishi Sunak.
We ought not to be surprised: revelatory diaries are nothing new, and appearing in them is an occupational hazard for those in public life and showbusiness.
Why have these diaries become public now?
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