Covid inquiry live: Matt Hancock hits back at ‘toxic culture’ at centre of government after pandemic grilling

Covid inquiry: Matt Hancock denies that he lied about having a plan

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Dominic Cummings has claimed Matt Hancock is “flat out lying” to the Covid inquiry by claiming he pressed Boris Johnson for a lockdown on 13 March 2020.

Despite the supposed interaction not appearing in his Pandemic Diaries book, Mr Hancock insisted “further evidence had come to light” in an email he sent to Mr Johnson – but could not tell the inquiry whether it contained the words “immediate” or “lockdown” because he did not have it in front of him.

Mr Johnson’s former chief political aide wrote on Twitter/X that Mr Hancock was “flat out lying”, and claimed to have “physically stopped” the then-health secretary coming to a meeting the following day because he “was bull****ting everybody about herd immunity”.

The former Tory MP, who now sits as an independent after losing the party whip for appearing on ITV’s I’m A Celebrity, also described vicious messages about his competence as part of an “unhealthy toxic culture” in which “extremely unpleasant language and false allegations were thrown”.

Show latest update 1701334271Watch: Matt Hancock believed he should decide ‘who should live and die’ if NHS overwhelmed

Matt Hancock believed he should decide ‘who should live and die’ if NHS overwhelmed

Andy Gregory30 November 2023 08:51

1701333609Pictured: Matt Hancock arrives to give evidence at Covid inquiry

Matt Hancock has been pictured this morning arriving in Paddington for the Covid inquiry:

Former health secretary Matt Hancock arrives to give evidence to the UK Covid-19 Inquiry

(PA)

(REUTERS)

Andy Gregory30 November 2023 08:40

1701333220What happened yesterday at the Covid inquiry?

On another day of shocking revelations, the Covid-19 Inquiry heard yesterday that:

Mr Javid opened his testimony to the inquiry stating that “we will never fully understand the scale of the grief” of those who lost loved ones.

Evidence shown to the inquiry painted a picture of the former chancellor and health secretary as an often more cautious voice throughout the pandemic.

Archie Mitchell30 November 2023 08:33

1701333145Dominic Cummings acted as prime minister ‘in all but name’, Sajid Javid tells Covid inquiry

Sajid Javid told the Covid inquiry yesterday that Dominic Cummings acted as prime minister in all but name and was the driving force behind key decisions during the pandemic.

The former health secretary said cabinet ministers were often excluded from decision-making and it was Mr Cummings calling the shots.

Recalling his decision to resign as chancellor in February 2020, he said he agreed with claims made by others that there was a “toxic” and “feral” culture within No 10 and said he had “not experienced that extent of dysfunction in any government before”.

He blamed the dominance of Mr Cummings, who was Mr Johnson’s top adviser, revealing: “I felt that the elected prime minister was not in charge of what was happening in his name and was largely content with Mr Cummings running the government.”

Mr Javid said that, when he stood down from his post after Mr Cummings told him to sack all his aides, he warned that the strategist had been given “a huge amount of responsibility and power” and “would not stop until he had burnt the house down”.

Archie Mitchell30 November 2023 08:32

1701332558What have others told the Covid inquiry about Matt Hancock?

Matt Hancock will finally have the chance to hit back after months of criticism by top officials at the Covid-19 Inquiry, reports our political correspondent Archie Mitchell.

So far the inquiry has heard that Britain’s top civil servant urged former PM Boris Johnson to sack Mr Hancock during the pandemic, “to save lives and protect the NHS”.

Former cabinet secretary Mark Sedwill said he made the suggestion as a joke in a WhatsApp message to then-No10 permanent secretary Simon Case.

Former NHS boss Simon Stevens also attacked him for wanting to “decide who should live or die if the NHS became overwhelmed” in the pandemic.

Mr Johnson’s former top adviser Dominic Cummings used the inquiry to attack Mr Hancock as a “proven liar”, a “problem leaker” and a “c***”.

And Helen MacNamara, the former deputy cabinet secretary, claimed Mr Hancock was “regularly” telling people things that they later discovered were not true and that No10 had a “lack of confidence” that what he said were happening “was actually happening”.

Andy Gregory30 November 2023 08:22

1701332316Matt Hancock to take stand at Covid inquiry

Former health secretary Matt Hancock is set to testify to the Covid inquiry today.

The outgoing MP was tasked by Boris Johnson with overseeing healthcare and the NHS from July 2018 until he was caught on CCTV in his office in June 2021 breaking social distancing guidelines by kissing his adviser Gina Coladangelo.

Mr Hancock has been repeatedly branded a liar, incompetent and weak by witnesses at the inquiry.

In a bumper session, expected to run from Thursday at 10.00am and spill into Friday, Mr Hancock will seek to correct the record of his time handling the pandemic.

Andy Gregory30 November 2023 08:18

1701331940

Good morning, and thanks for joining us. We’ll be using this liveblog to provide live updates on the Covid inquiry throughout the day.

Andy Gregory30 November 2023 08:12