Former Health Secretary Matt Hancock has told the Covid inquiry that school closures in January 2021 may have been avoided if action had been taken earlier the previous autumn. Hancock argued that avoiding the lockdown led to tougher measures later on. He expressed concern through WhatsApp messages in October 2020, highlighting the pressure placed on the Prime Minister by Rishi Sunak. He then accused local leaders of prioritising politics above public health, including local politicians in Greater Manchester, particularly Andy Burnham.
This was the second hearing of the inquiry to hear evidence from Matt Hancock, the former health secretary responsible for most of the pandemic. Mr Hancock resigned in June 2021 after breaching social distancing guidance by kissing his aide, Gina Coladangelo. When questioned about the incident, he acknowledged that it could have damaged public confidence in the rules.
The first focus of Friday’s hearing was on decisions made from September 2020, when Covid cases started to rise after a summer lull. Matt Hancock was seen asking Simon Case, head of civil service for information about a meeting, which he claims he was “blocked” from. WhatsApp messages showed that Rishi Sunak was putting pressure on the Prime Minister, which he noted. He believed that the policies were not effective, leading to confusion, and delay in negotiations with local leaders.
Mr Hancock praised Joe Anderson, the former Mayor of Liverpool, for their working relationship. He argued that the other local politicians were actively unhelpful as compared to the Liverpool Mayor. This led to a dispute with the government over how much financial support should be provided to the area. Similarly, Matt Hancock expressed disapproval of the way then-First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon communicated UK-wide decisions, stating that it was “unhelpful and confusing” and “undermined” the response to Covid.
Finally, the inquiry will continue to hear evidence from political officials, including Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak, before the end of the year. Nicola Sturgeon is also expected to make further appearances with public hearings continuing until 2026
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