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Nicola Sturgeon told the United Kingdom's public inquiry into the pandemic that she didn't use informal messaging such as WhatsApp to make decisions. Although Scotland is part of the U.K., its government has powers over matters relating to public health. Sturgeon's standing has been further dented by the recent revelation that her WhatsApp messages had been deleted, which has led to questions about her trustworthiness or whether she has anything to hide. Last week, Sturgeon's successor as first minister, Humza Yousaf, offered an “unreserved” apology for the Scottish government’s “frankly poor” handling of requests for WhatsApp messages. Johnson agreed in late 2021 to hold a public inquiry after heavy pressure from bereaved families, who have hit out at the evidence emerging about his actions.

Persons: —, policymaking, Nicola Sturgeon, ”, Sturgeon, Boris Johnson, hadn't, hasn't, WhatsApp, “, Humza Yousaf, Heather Hallett, Johnson Organizations: United, Scotland, Scottish National Party, Scottish Locations: Scotland, Edinburgh, England, Wales, Northern Ireland

LONDON (AP) — Boris Johnson, the former British prime minister, struggled to come to grips with much of the science during the coronavirus pandemic, his chief scientific advisor said Monday. In keenly awaited testimony to the country’s public inquiry into the COVID-19 pandemic, Patrick Vallance said he and others faced repeated problems getting Johnson to understand the science. “I think I’m right in saying that the prime minister gave up science at 15," he said. During the pandemic, Vallance was a highly visible presence in the U.K. The inquiry is set to hear from current Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who was Johnson's Treasury chief at the time.

Persons: — Boris Johnson, Patrick Vallance, Johnson, “, Vallance, Chris Whitty, Johnson's, –, ”, Heather Hallett, Rishi Sunak, Sunak Organizations: British, Downing, Treasury Locations: British, Europe

LONDON (AP) — A former top aide who has accused ex-Prime Minister Boris Johnson of being unfit for office is scheduled to testify Tuesday at Britain’s public inquiry into the COVID-19 pandemic. Political Cartoons View All 1227 ImagesJohnson is due to testify at the inquiry later in the year. Cummings, a self-styled political disruptor, was hired by Johnson after helping to mastermind the victorious “leave” campaign in Britain’s 2016 European Union membership referendum. The U.K. has one of the highest COVID-19 death tolls in Europe, with the virus recorded as a cause of death for some 227,000 people. Johnson agreed in late 2021 to hold a public inquiry after heavy pressure from bereaved families.

Persons: —, Boris Johnson, Dominic Cummings, Johnson, Martin Reynolds, Imran Shafi, ” Cummings, Cummings, “, ”, Heather Hallett Locations: Britain’s, Downing, England, Europe

LONDON (AP) — Britain’s inquiry into the response to the coronavirus pandemic and its impact on the nation entered its second phase Tuesday, with political decision-making around major developments, such as the timing of lockdowns, set to take center stage. The first phase, which concluded in July, looked at the country's preparedness for the pandemic. An array of experts and politicians are set to testify during the current phase, which is due to end on Dec. 14. The decisions of Boris Johnson, who was prime minister during the pandemic, will be in particular focus. After Hallett's introductory statement, the inquiry heard emotional video testimonies from families who lost loved ones or whose children have suffered long-term physical and mental effects of the virus, so-called long COVID.

Persons: —, Lorelei King, Vincent Marzello, “, ”, Heather Hallett, Hallett, Boris Johnson, Johnson, Alan Organizations: Britain’s Locations: London, United Kingdom

☆ UK asks court to curb powers of COVID inquiry to see WhatsApp messages
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-30 | by ( Sam Tobin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, June 30 (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's government on Friday asked London's High Court to stop a public inquiry into its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic forcing it to hand over some internal WhatsApp messages. Britain's Cabinet Office refused to provide WhatsApp messages concerning the government's handling of the pandemic and other political issues earlier this month, saying some of the material sought was "unambiguously irrelevant". However, the Cabinet Office has brought a legal challenge over the inquiry's demands, which its lawyer James Eadie told the court was brought "with some considerable reluctance". Eadie added the WhatsApp messages contained references to personal and family information and "comments of a personal nature" about identifiable government figures. But lawyers representing Hallett said the limits the Cabinet Office sought to place on public inquiries' powers to compel the production of documents was "flawed and unworkable".

Persons: Rishi Sunak's, London's, Heather Hallett, Boris Johnson, James Eadie, Eadie, Hallett, Hugo Keith, Johnson, Keith, Mr Johnson, Sam Tobin, Paul Sandle Organizations: British, Thomson

☆ Britain's COVID inquiry launches with pledge to put bereaved at its heart
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Peter Nicholls/File PhotoLONDON, June 13 (Reuters) - The chair of Britain's COVID-19 inquiry pledged to put the bereaved and those who suffered at the heart of her work as she began main hearings on Tuesday into how the coronavirus pandemic was handled. Former prime minister Boris Johnson had ordered the inquiry to look into the United Kingdom's preparedness as well as the public health and economic response after Britain recorded one of the world's highest death tolls from COVID. Module one, which is looking into Britain's preparedness for the pandemic, opened on Tuesday. The inquiry has held preliminary hearings, but this week will see the first evidence heard in the inquiry since it was formally launched in June 2022. With a national election expected next year, the detailed examination of decision-making could create political headaches for current Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who was finance minister during the pandemic.

Persons: Peter Nicholls, Britain's, Boris Johnson, Johnson, Heather Hallett, Rishi Sunak, Alistair Smout, William Maclean Organizations: National, REUTERS, Britain, Thomson Locations: London, Britain, COVID

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