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Matt Hancock has accused Downing Street of preventing him from appearing in the media to speak about the spread of Covid that tore Europe apart in February 2020.
The former fitness secretary claimed at the Covid inquiry that No 10 had not allowed him to give radio interviews on the subject.
Mr Hancock said he had just been told that, based on figures at the time, there was “a pretty pessimistic picture that just over a million people were dying”.
He said he spoke to Johnson on the phone on Feb. 28 and told him, “It’s been an amazing time. I came out and said, ‘Prime Minister, you’ve got to preside over a Cobra and it’s got to be us to speak properly. ‘
Hancock added: “Over the weekend I went out and publicly communicated everything we might have to do. We might have to close some schools. We would possibly have to shut down entire cities. I’m nothing, I said.
Follow the updates below. . .
2:45 p. m. , Daniel Keane
Hancock said he believed Downing Street was preventing him from appearing in the media to communicate about the spread of the virus.
He also claims that he was not allowed to give radio interviews on the subject.
Hancock said he had just been told that, based on the figures at the time, there was “a rather pessimistic situation that just over a million people were dying”.
He said he spoke to Mr Johnson on the phone: “This went on for a while. I came out and said, ‘Prime Minister, you have to preside over a Cobra and we have to talk properly, adding on all the issues. ‘of the program rather than this political boycott. “
He added: “Over the weekend I went out and communicated in public everything we had to do. We might have to close some schools. We would possibly have to shut down entire cities. I don’t rule anything out, I say.
14:18, Daniel Keane
Hancock said Sage’s conclusion that China might not involve the spread of the virus on Feb. 13, 2020, was a “pivotal moment. “
He added that he didn’t remember when he reported Sage’s point of view.
Hugo Keith KC argues to Hancock that this has been a “pivotal moment” in the government’s reaction to the pandemic.
“Do you recognize that this is an important moment?
Mr Hancock replied: “Indeed, it has been. “
14:12, Daniel Keane
Covid research has now resumed.
Hancock was asked what the infection plans were after Sage concluded in February 2020 that China could not involve Covid.
Hugo Keith KC shows Mr. Hancock the minutes of a February 2020 meeting in which Professor Chris Whitty says there are plans in place to combat the spread of the virus.
Hancock says the infection plans were based on a 2011 strategy that was already in place.
He adds that the Cabinet Office is guilty of controlling infections within the British population.
12:57, Daniel Keane
The investigation took a lunch break.
We’ll be back in an hour with the news.
12:57, Daniel Keane
In his witness statement, Mr Hancock claims that DHSC officials were “dragged into meetings” at No 10 in late January to deliver on manifesto commitments rather than focusing on the pandemic.
Hugo Keith KC says: “In his statement he refers to how, at the end of January, and despite his contacts with the Prime Minister, his team was still receiving calls from Number 10 and being dragged into meetings about how he was going to provide the manifesto commitments. “
He added: “Did it matter? Can we infer from what you mentioned that it mattered?»
Mr Hancock said: “Yes, it would have been much greater if all this time had been devoted to the typhoon that was brewing. “
12:46, Daniel Keane
Hancock said no one in positions of influence in government was interested in the severity of the scenario when Covid-19 emerged in January 2020.
When asked who he meant when he said others didn’t have the same sense of urgency on the issue, he replied, “Everyone. “
Hugo Keith KC asked if these were “important people at the top levels of government” or “people he spoke to in his life,” Mr. Hancock replied, “both. “
12:34, Daniel Keane
Hancock says Cummings has created a “culture of fear. “
“It was deeply frustrating and posed a challenge on two levels. The structural challenge posed by an adviser seeking to take away the authority of the Prime Minister. But there’s also a cultural challenge, a culture of concern instilled through this individual. “
Hancock says Cummings “effectively caused” the resignation of former chancellor Sajid Javid.
He adds: “It would have been better to lead the government in a spirit of positive collaboration. When something went wrong, we asked how to fix it. This is the way to lead giant organizations in a crisis.
12:28 p. m. , Daniel Keane
Hugo Keith KC questioned that Cummings had “too much influence” on the Prime Minister’s decision-making process.
Mr Hancock replies: “Sometimes yes. While Cobra was at his workplace in February, Mr. Cummings said he didn’t like the Cobra formula and that he didn’t like making all the day-to-day decisions at his workplace. He invited a subset of other people who were to be provided at those meetings. He didn’t invite ministers and didn’t think we played a vital role in the decision-making process. “
In one of those meetings, Hancock alleges that Cummings said “decisions don’t want to go to the prime minister. “
This has “actively bypassed” the government’s emergency reaction system, he claims.
“It’s beside the point in a democracy. I saw it necessarily as a power take-off, but it definitely hindered the organization of reaction at the time when it was in force. “
12:22, Daniel Keane
Hancock continues his speech about former senior adviser Dominic Cummings.
He said it was “deeply distasteful” that his staff were “subjected to a full diversity of abuses” by Mr Cummings.
“It was deeper than I imagined at the time. My task was to manage the fitness and care system. I kept doing it. “
12:19, Daniel Keane
Hancock blames Dominic Cummings for the government’s poisonous culture.
Pressed by messages insulting Hancock’s character, he said: “In the heat of the crisis, other people are saying things, especially on WhatsApp, that may not possibly be their full opinion. “
He then launches a harsh criticism of Mr. Cummings, whom he calls a “malicious actor. “
“If there are other people whose habit is not professional, the formula will have to be able to work in spite of that. . . That’s why I relied on the Cobra formula. “
12:14, Daniel Keane
Hugo Keith KC cross-examines Mr. Hancock about claims by previous witnesses that he is a liar.
Mr Hancock replies: “It wasn’t. You’ll find that there’s no evidence in the physical care formula to support this. These are false accusations. When there were main points attached to those statements, I reviewed them.
“There’s a lot of hard paint in our component and a poisonous culture that seemed to want to find culprits. “
12:11, Daniel Keane
Hugo Keith KC is pressing Mr Hancock on the main points of what he knew about asymptomatic transmission.
The WHO showed that Covid could spread without symptoms until April 2020.
Hancock says his “biggest regret” is not having pushed harder for more data on this earlier in the pandemic.
He says that in late January he became aware of “anecdotal” evidence of asymptomatic transmission, but that this is not enough to formulate an overdue government policy.
Keith says the immediate spread of Covid in Italy is evidence of “significant” asymptomatic transmission.
11:57, Daniel Keane
Hugo Keith KC Mr. Hancock an exchange of messages between Sir Patrick Vallance and Professor Sir Chris Whitty since July 2020.
In the messages, Sir Patrick says he knows why Hancock and Boris Johnson claimed they were informed that Covid could be transmitted asymptomatically.
Hancock said the messages show scientists at the time whether the virus could be transmitted asymptomatically.
11:43, Daniel Keane
Dominic Cummings has gotten into the fray because Matt Hancock told the Prime Minister to close on March 13, 2020.
Writing about X, he says Hancock “is openly lying when he says he pushed for the block privately. “
It claims that Mr Hancock “continues to sell Plan A for herd immunity” from 13 to 15 January.
Cummings said he had prevented Hancock from attending a meeting on Jan. 14 because he was “opposed to an update to the plan and bullying everyone about herd immunity” and “the most productive list in the world. “
11:38, Daniel Keane
Hugo Keith KC highlights a segment of M. Hancock’s diary, dated January 2020, in which he expresses his fears about whether Covid can transmit the symptoms.
Hancock writes that he has “pressed Public Health England” for a reaction on asymptomatic transmission” and has called on the head of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, to “try to convince him to declare a public health emergency. “
“I have the impression that he is afraid of provoking Beijing,” he added.
He also showed Mr Hancock a reading of an assembly of senior officials and advisers in which Professor Sir Chris Whitty said there was “credible evidence” of asymptomatic transmission in Germany.
11:28 a. m. , Daniel Keane
Hancock returned to the question of whether he told the Prime Minister to self-isolate on March 13, 2020.
He is referring to an email sent to the prime minister on that date in which he advocated a “strategy of global repression. “
“This is tangible proof that I am pressuring the prime minister to go into self-confinement,” he said.
Hugo Keith KC asked him if he used the “immediate” or “containment” option.
Mr Hancock can simply answer the question by saying that he has the text in front of him.
11:10 a. m. , Daniel Keane
The investigation was suspended until 11:20 a. m.
11:09 a. m. m. , Daniel Keane
Hancock is about a WhatsApp message exchange with Dominic Cummings on January 23, 2020.
In the excerpt, Cummings asks that DHSC had investigated arrangements for “something terrible like Ebola or a flu pandemic. “
Hancock says the branch had “comprehensive plans up to and adding pandemic levels, ready and updated. “
He adds: “It’s on our list of maximum risks. “
11:04 a. m. , Daniel Keane
Hancock claims he told Boris Johnson to self-isolate on March 13, but Hugo Keith KC points out that this is not mentioned in his diary.
It lists other activities that Mr Hancock carried out that day, but does not mention that meeting with the Prime Minister.
Mr Hancock replied: “I did not have full access to the documents when I was writing this. This assembly came to facilitate the search for documents prior to this investigation.
“The next day, we had formal meetings in the Cabinet room on this issue, where I made my perspectives very clear. “
Keith is skeptical of Hancock’s claims and asks him if he’s “sure” he’s telling the truth.
He replies, “I did that, and it came up in the studies for this research. “
10:58, Daniel Keane
Hancock says “toxic culture” has become a factor later in the pandemic, arguing that initial skepticism from officials and ministers is understandable given the scale of action needed.
He showed a WhatsApp message exchanged with Dominic Cummings on March 12 in which he said “we are more prepared than other countries. “
Hugo Keith KC asks how Hancock could have said this when he knew about the testing failures, the lack of border controls, and the quarantine formula for the next pandemic.
Hancock said the message about communications.
He adds that he replaced his on the pandemic on March 13.
10:50 a. m. , Daniel Keane
Mr Hancock asked if he was too confident in the UK’s level of preparedness for the pandemic.
He replies, “The same people who accused me of complacency were blocking the action I said we needed. . . There’s a lot of uncertainty and worry and I felt it was my duty to keep moving forward. “
Hancock declines to specify which other people he is referring to, but says: “We’ve already noticed evidence from other people who thought we were overreacting to the virus. »
10:45, Daniel Keane
Hugo Keith KC Sr. Hancock, a text message sent to him through former Prime Minister Boris Johnson on March 7, 2020.
In the message, Johnson tells the former fitness minister “you’re doing great, keep going” and asks what he can do to help.
Hancock responds by saying the government wants to show more leadership by promoting undeniable public messages about health, such as washing hands and asking older people to stay at home.
Mr Johnson replied: “Okay, let’s talk about Monday. . . I’m going to the rugby. “
10:37, Daniel Keane
Mr Hancock questioned whether it was fair about the extent of the disruption the DHSC was facing at the start of the pandemic.
He replied: “Since mid-January 2020, we have been trying to sound the alarm and wake Whitehall up to the scale of the problem. This may not be resolved through DHSC alone. It has been seized and directed through the Government Centre at an earlier stage. “
He said he had “tried to make this happen” but was blocked, adding: “Our considerations were taken seriously until the end of February. “
Hancock added that he avoided holding a Cobra meeting until he forced his colleagues to help him put pressure on Number 10.
10:32, Daniel Keane
Hancock elaborates on his claim that a “toxic culture” existed within the government.
“Everything that was done was seen as an intentional failure. Incorrect information about what the DHSC was doing was being spread among some people, the Prime Minister added. A healthy culture involves skepticism, a bad culture involves false statements and incredibly language. disgusting.
“There’s no such thing within the fitness family. I tried to lead a positive, positive culture. If there is a problem, my answer is ‘how can we solve this problem’?At first, we ran into a big problem. “
10:25, Daniel Keane
Hancock said he had “tried to wake up Whitehall” to the risk of the pandemic in its early stages.
He added that several policies, such as shielding, were carried out through the DHSC when they have been “cross-cutting” programs.
The resolution to close schools was also made through the DHSC, he said.
“It took Whitehall a while to get going, so we had to get up and do it. “
10:22, Daniel Keane
Mr Hancock asked about a number of extracts from Sir Patrick Vallance’s new notebook. It cites an email describing the DHSC as “ungovernable” and a “network of competing parties. “
He replies, “DHSC will, of course, do everything it can to meet the challenge of a pandemic. Did everything go well? Of course not. It is understandable that the Cabinet is sceptical about the functioning of the departments. To hold them accountable.
“The poisonous culture you saw in the middle of government didn’t help you assume that every time a challenge arose, there was guilt and blame. Some of this evidence you’ve noticed demonstrates a lack of generosity or empathy to understand how to meet the challenge. such a big challenge. “
10:11, Daniel Keane
Mr. Hancock arrived at the inquest and took the oath.
He is first asked about an extract from his book, The Pandemic Diaries, in which he claims that the Department of Health and Social Care’s (DHSC) provisions for the pandemic are poor.
He replies, “It’s true that the plans we had weren’t adequate. In practical terms, the UK did not have significant testing capabilities. And the 2011 flu plan was based on the concept that we were going to deal with the consequences. a pandemic, rather than seeking to suppress it. “
09:57, Daniel Keane
Hancock is expected to respect his reputation when he appears before the Covid investigation.
Here’s a quick summary of the criticism he’s faced so far in the investigation:
– Former senior adviser Dominic Cummings stated that Mr Hancock “had lied and killed other people and dozens and dozens of other people had noticed him”.
– In a WhatsApp message, former civil service leader Sir Mark Sedwill called on Boris Johnson to sack Mr Davis. Hancock to “save lives and the NHS”.
– Sir Patrick Vallance said that Hancock “used to say things for which he had nothing and said them too eagerly and too soonly”.
– Helen MacNamara, who was deputy cabinet secretary during the pandemic, said Hancock “regularly” told her Downing Street colleagues things “which they later found not to be true”.
09:38 , Daniel Keane
Hello and welcome to our Covid research policy.
Matt Hancock will testify in a while at the inquiry about his role in overseeing the NHS’s response to the Covid pandemic.
He has been one of the government’s key decision-makers, along with Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Chief Scientific Adviser Sir Patrick Vallance and Chief Medical Professor Sir Chris Whitty.
Mr Hancock was criticized by former colleagues and cabinet advisers at the inquiry. Many have continually claimed that in meetings he said things that were not true.