Matt Hancock to look earlier than Covid inquiry
M
att Hancock will turn out to be the most recent high-profile politician to look earlier than the Covid-19 Inquiry, as hearings proceed into Government preparedness for the pandemic.
The former well being secretary, who grew to become one of many best-known politicians within the nation as he helped steer the coronavirus response earlier than being pressured to give up in June 2021, will give proof to Lady Hallett’s inquiry on Tuesday morning.
His attendance on the inquiry comes after Chancellor Jeremy Hunt, one other former well being secretary, admitted {that a} “groupthink” helped result in a “narrowness of thinking” that didn’t increase pandemic preparedness past planning for a flu outbreak.
On Monday, former deputy chief medical officer Dame Jenny Harries was quizzed on the capability of the UK well being system in addition to the organisational reforms earlier than the Covid outbreak.
Mr Hancock, additionally identified for his look final 12 months on TV’s I’m A Celebrity, grew to become well being secretary in mid-2018 – however his political profession was torpedoed after footage emerged in 2021 of his embrace with aide Gina Coladangelo.
He was central to the Government’s pandemic period decision-making and messaging, along with his personal recollections of the interval more likely to be a vital a part of the inquiry.
A leak of greater than a 100,000 of his WhatsApp messages by journalist Isabel Oakeshott to the Daily Telegraph, a lot of which had been revealed earlier this 12 months, offered a glimpse into the interior workings of Government through the interval.
The West Suffolk MP, who will stand down on the subsequent normal election, has confronted questions prior to now in regards to the Government coverage on Covid testing and nursing houses.
Former prime minister David Cameron, former chancellor George Osborne and chief medical officer Professor Sir Chris Whitty are all amongst those that have appeared earlier than the committee up to now.