The long-awaited Covid inquiry has delivered a damning verdict on the UK government's handling of the pandemic, confirming what many suspected during those terrifying early months: catastrophic failures in leadership led to tens of thousands of unnecessary deaths and the most severe lockdown in modern British history.
Avoidable Catastrophe
According to the recently published module 2 report from the official Covid inquiry, the UK government chose the worst possible path in its pandemic response. The investigation reveals that had England followed successful containment strategies similar to countries like South Korea, Denmark, Norway and New Zealand, the nation could have avoided multiple lockdowns and potentially prevented the majority of deaths recorded in 2020.
The report paints a picture of a government that was slow to react despite clear warnings from January 2020 onward. Other nations demonstrated effective approaches through early action and robust public health systems built on test, trace and isolation protocols. Meanwhile, the UK government hesitated, allowing the virus to establish a devastating foothold.
Leadership in Crisis
At the heart of the failure was a distracted and frequently absent Prime Minister Boris Johnson, operating within a dysfunctional Number 10 environment. The inquiry confirms that poor advice and chaotic decision-making created a perfect storm of incompetence.
Professor Devi Sridhar, who provided evidence to the inquiry, highlights the absurdity of some policies. 'We were all told to stay at home and not travel beyond a certain distance, while airports remained open with no passenger checks,' she notes. 'It was like trying to empty a bathtub with the tap still running. Completely nonsensical.'
The situation worsened during summer 2020 when then-Chancellor Rishi Sunak launched his 'Eat Out to Help Out' scheme without consulting scientists or devolved governments. This initiative directly contributed to a second wave by incentivising people to gather in high-risk indoor environments where transmission was likely.
Learning From Failure
Despite the staggering cost of the inquiry - nearly £200 million for the UK investigation plus £45 million for Scotland's parallel process - many question what new understanding it provides. Most findings echo what has already been documented in books and analysis published since the pandemic.
The fundamental lesson, according to experts, isn't about creating a one-size-fits-all pandemic plan, but about building competent leadership qualities into the political system: agility, smart decision-making, flexibility, humility and trustworthiness.
Professor Sridhar suggests that democracies must prioritize competence over entertainment when selecting leaders, pointing to Jacinda Ardern's leadership in New Zealand as an example of effective crisis management.
Looking Forward
While the current report focuses on political decision-making, many await the inquiry's findings on government procurement, where evidence suggests widespread corruption enabled Conservative ministers to funnel contracts to associates.
Analysis by the New York Times found that nearly half of £22 billion in pandemic contracts went to companies with Conservative connections or no relevant experience. The Good Law Project estimates over £4 in every £5 spent on PPE was wasted or lost.
Professor Sridhar proposes specific legislation to prevent such profiteering in future crises, suggesting it could be named after Michelle Mone, who has become the public face of pandemic profiteering. Such measures would protect taxpayer money and restore trust in government during emergencies.
The report serves as a stark reminder that while science ultimately delivered vaccines that saved countless lives, political failure cost tens of thousands of British citizens their lives and imposed unprecedented restrictions on the entire population.
