Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Matt Hancock apologises over lack of Covid preparedness

The UK reported more than 128,500 fatalities recorded by mid-July 2021

Matt Hancock apologises over lack of Covid preparedness

FORMER health secretary Matt Hancock on Tuesday (27) apologised for the country's lack of preparedness for the Covid pandemic, telling an official inquiry that long-term and global "doctrinal" failures were to blame.

"The central failing that hampered the UK's response, common with the rest of the Western world, was the explicit decision that it would not be possible to halt the spread of a new pandemic," he told the inquiry.


"Imagine if this disease had tragically killed children as much as it did old people. Would it then be possible to... halt the spread? Of course it would, we would do whatever it took," he said.

As a result, measures to slow the spread of a pandemic such as "stockpiles, testing, antivirals and contact tracing" were not prioritised and "we had to build them from scratch when the pandemic struck," he said.

Instead, the focus had been "can we buy enough body bags?" and "where are we going to bury the dead?", added Hancock.

The former health secretary said he was "profoundly sorry for the impact" of the lack of preparedness.

"I also understand why, for some, it will be hard to take that apology from me.

"And all I can do is ensure that this inquiry gets to the bottom of it, and that for the future, we learn the right lessons, so that we stop a pandemic in its tracks much, much earlier."

Assurances from civil servants and the World Health Organisation (WHO) that the UK was well placed to deal with a pandemic "turned out to be wrong", he added.

Hancock, who was forced to quit in June 2021, is the latest high-profile politician to appear before the Covid-19 Inquiry into government preparedness for the pandemic.

Former prime minister David Cameron, former chancellor George Osborne and chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty have all given evidence.

The UK suffered one of the worst Covid-19 death tolls in Europe with more than 128,500 fatalities recorded by mid-July 2021.

The government faced criticism for not taking the threat seriously enough in the early stages of the outbreak, and of not having enough protective equipment for frontline medical staff.

Chaired by retired senior judge Heather Hallett, the first phase of the inquiry is focusing on the UK's resilience and preparedness.

Relatives of people who died have already condemned the inquiry for failing to include them.

(AFP)

More For You

Tommy Robinson

The event, which Robinson has promoted for months, is being billed by him as the 'UK's biggest free speech festival.' (Photo: Getty Images)

London prepares for rival demonstrations, police deploy 1,600 officers

Highlights

  • More than 1,600 officers deployed across London on Saturday
  • Far-right activist Tommy Robinson to lead "Unite the Kingdom" march
  • Anti-racism groups to stage counter-protests in Whitehall
  • Police impose conditions on routes and timings of demonstrations

LONDON police will deploy more than 1,600 officers across the city on Saturday as rival demonstrations take place, including a rally organised by far-right activist Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, known as Tommy Robinson, and a counter-protest by anti-racism campaigners.

Keep ReadingShow less
Baiju Bhatt

At 40, Bhatt is the only person of Indian origin in this group, which includes figures such as Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg. (Photo: Getty Images)

Baiju Bhatt named among youngest billionaires in US by Forbes

INDIAN-AMERICAN entrepreneur Baiju Bhatt, co-founder of the commission-free trading platform Robinhood, has been named among the 10 youngest billionaires in the United States in the 2025 Forbes 400 list.

At 40, Bhatt is the only person of Indian origin in this group, which includes figures such as Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg. Forbes estimates his net worth at around USD 6–7 billion (£4.4–5.1 billion), primarily from his roughly 6 per cent ownership in Robinhood.

Keep ReadingShow less
Mandelson-Getty

Starmer dismissed Mandelson on Thursday after reading emails published by Bloomberg in which Mandelson defended Jeffrey Epstein following his 2008 conviction. (Photo: Getty Images)

Getty Images

Minister says Mandelson should never have been appointed

A CABINET minister has said Peter Mandelson should not have been made UK ambassador to the US, as criticism mounted over prime minister Keir Starmer’s judgment in appointing him.

Douglas Alexander, the Scotland secretary, told the BBC that Mandelson’s appointment was seen as “high-risk, high-reward” but that newly revealed emails changed the situation.

Keep ReadingShow less
Shivani Raja MP leads fight to save Leicester Diwali celebrations

Shivani Raja MP

Shivani Raja MP leads fight to save Leicester Diwali celebrations

TWO Conservative MPs have launched a petition to stop Leicester City Council cutting back this year's Diwali celebrations.

Shivani Raja, MP for Leicester East, and Neil O'Brien, who represents nearby Harborough, Oadby and Wigston, started the Change.org petition on Wednesday (10) after the council announced plans to remove key elements from the October 20 event.

Keep ReadingShow less
Indian American hotel employee beheaded in Dallas

Chandra Nagamallaiah (R) was stabbed and beheaded on duty; Yordanis Cobos-Martinez was arrested and charged for the killing.

Indian American hotel employee beheaded in Dallas

A STAFF MEMBER at Downtown Suites Dallas, US, was killed on Wednesday (10) morning. Chandra Nagamallaiah, 50, was stabbed and beheaded on duty in front of his wife and son, according to reports.

Yordanis Cobos-Martinez, 37, was arrested and charged in the killing, which reportedly stemmed from an argument over a broken washing machine, media reports said, citing the Dallas Police Department.

Keep ReadingShow less