Covid public inquiry will be pushed back beyond spring 2022, families fear

Campaigners suspect government ‘trying to kick the inquiry into the long grass’

Campaigners who have lost loved ones to the coronavirus fear the start of the public inquiry into the government’s handling of the Covid crisis will be pushed beyond the promised date of spring 2020.

Lawyers representing Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice group recently met with the Cabinet Office last month to discuss the inquiry’s potential scope – but were told work has not yet begun on the basic terms of reference.

The campaign group said the failure to lay any groundwork means the inquiry aimed at learning vital lessons on the pandemic is now “unlikely” to begin next spring.

Boris Johnson announced in May that an independent public inquiry into his government’s response to the crisis will begin in spring of 2020 – promising it would put “the state’s actions under the microscope”.

Families are angry that the Cabinet Office has refused to respond to their suggestions for the scope of the inquiry, and has yet to give them a date for a promised meeting with the prime minister.

Lobby Akinnola, a 30-year-old campaigner who lost his father Femi to Covid last year, said: “The news that the Cabinet Office hasn’t even begun deciding the terms of reference alongside their refusal to engage with us, makes us think the government is trying to kick the inquiry into the long grass.

“This is not only leaving those who have suffered so much in the pandemic feeling dismissed and ignored, but far worse, it’s potentially putting more lives at risk.”

The campaigner said: “If we’re going to be learning to live with coronavirus, then it’s common sense that we learn the lessons from the pandemic as quickly as possible, so that we can avoid repeating mistakes. That means the inquiry needs to start immediately.”

Mr Akinnola added: “By not even preparing the terms of reference, the government is pushing the whole process back, and playing politics when lives could be at stake.”

Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice has asked for a “rapid review phase” of the public inquiry which identifies failures and successes when it comes to pandemic preparedness and PPE.

The inquiry should examine look at whether NHS cuts contributed to failures and make sure all “legal, regulatory and policy frameworks” to deal with a pandemic are fit for purpose, the group said.

A government spokesperson said decisions on the scope of the public inquiry would be made “in due course”.

The spokesperson added: “Every death from this virus is a tragedy and our sympathies are with everyone who has lost loved ones. As the prime minister said, we have committed to holding a full public inquiry as soon as is reasonably possible.”