Insights from Britain's Covid-19 inquiry: Unveiling Misogyny, Hairdryers, and Foul-Mouthed Tirades
Unveiling the chaotic reality of Britain's pandemic response, an inquiry this week exposed disorganization, chaos, and internal strife within Boris Johnson's government Revelations include Johnson's questionable leadership, a hairdryer theory, shocking misogyny, callous disregard for older people, and criticism of Sunak
The coronavirus pandemic exposed Britain's chaotic and disorganized response, which is now facing increased scrutiny at an ongoing inquiry. Senior figures within Boris Johnson's government have detailed instances of disarray, confusion, and hostility at the core of his administration. Notes, emails, and WhatsApp messages from the time of the crisis have laid bare the criticism towards Johnson's leadership.
Many aides testified during the inquiry that commenced earlier this year. The culture within Downing Street has faced criticism as well, as correspondence has exposed the extent of anger and infighting among key individuals.
Allegations have been made regarding a significant level of confusion and uncertainty surrounding the scientific understanding of virus transmission, often extending into the realm of far-fetched conspiracy theories. The death toll from Covid-19 in the UK has surpassed 230,000 since its initial emergence in early 2020. Here is a summary of the key findings from Britain's Covid-19 inquiry.
Johnson cannot lead
Last year, Johnson's leadership crumbled following a string of scandals. These scandals were highlighted by the shocking revelation that his staff had arranged numerous parties and gatherings during the lockdown period in the UK.
But notes and communications unveiled this week revealed the depths of distrust at the heart of government.
Johnson's leadership was criticized by some of his most senior aides.
Dan Kitwood/Getty Images
Simon Case, the current highest-ranking civil servant in Britain, conveyed a noteworthy message to Johnson's chief of staff, highlighting the continuous alteration in strategic direction. Case expressed concerns about the impracticality of supporting someone who constantly changes their approach to leadership. Referring to the concept of a team captain in sports, Case emphasized that important decisions cannot be altered daily without hindering the team's ability to achieve their goals.
Additionally, PA Media reported that Patrick Vallance, Johnson's former chief scientific adviser, described him as weak and indecisive in a notebook entry during the crisis.
A wild hairdryer theory
Johnson faced severe criticism from Dominic Cummings, his former top adviser-turned-political rival, who has relentlessly attacked the ex-leader since his removal from Downing Street in late 2020.
Cummings strongly criticized Johnson for his apparent ignorance of the science behind Covid-19. He claimed that Johnson once inquired about the possibility of using a hairdryer to "kill Covid."
"One particularly disappointing moment was when he shared a video of a person using a specialized hairdryer to blow air up their nose as a means to combat Covid. He then sought the opinion of the two senior scientific advisors," Cummings stated during his testimony at the inquiry on Tuesday.
In a message dated March 3, 2020, Cummings conveyed that Johnson had a dismissive attitude towards Covid-19, perceiving it as inconsequential with no actionable solutions.
According to Helen MacNamara, the former deputy cabinet secretary, Johnson demonstrated an unwarranted optimism that Covid-19 would have minimal impact on the UK in early 2020.
Johnson's career collapsed after revelations about parties in Downing Street during lockdown.
Daniel Leal/AFP/Getty Images
Violent misogyny
The inquiry uncovered emails and WhatsApp messages during Cummings' tenure as Johnson's top adviser, which further intensified the criticism of him fostering a culture of misogyny within Downing Street. One particular WhatsApp message saw Cummings expressing frustration about Johnson's key team skillfully avoiding confrontations with MacNamara, stating that he would personally intervene and remove her from the premises while using offensive language to refer to her.
Cummings refuted accusations of sexism, dismissing them as "nonsense propagated by Boris/Carrie & the Establishment," in a tweet on Wednesday, alluding to the spouse of the previous prime minister.
However, McNamara stated during the inquiry that the language used was far from appropriate, moral, or deserving of the nation.
Former Number 10 special adviser Dominic Cummings.
(Tolga Akmen/AFP/Getty Images)
Furthermore, she expressed her dissatisfaction with the prime minister's failure to acknowledge and put an end to such violent and misogynistic rhetoric.
Messages showed that Cummings referred to other ministers and staffers as "useless f**kpigs" and "morons," and pushed to have ministers sacked.
Johnson felt older people should accept their fate
According to the former chief of the National Health Service (NHS) England, Simon Stevens, Matt Hancock, the former health secretary of the UK, expressed a desire to have the authority to determine the allocation of care if hospitals became overwhelmed during the pandemic. Stevens revealed that Hancock believed he, rather than the medical profession or the public, should be the one to make decisions about who should receive treatment and who should not. Fortunately, this distressing situation never materialized.
The allegation brings attention to several contradictory theories that were being discussed within the government regarding the allocation of care and resources.
During the inquiry, it was revealed that in August 2020, Vallance documented that Johnson had developed a preoccupation with the idea of older individuals accepting their destiny and allowing the younger generation to carry on with their lives and the economy.
More than 230,000 people died in the UK as a result of Covid-19, according to official figures.
Tolga Akmen/AFP/Getty Images
Criticism for Sunak
Rishi Sunak, the current Prime Minister of the UK, was not exempt from the inquiry's impact during the week. Sunak, who served as the Chancellor (Finance Minister) during the pandemic, experienced a significant transformation in his political career, progressing from a newcomer to the forefront of politics. His outstanding performance positioned him as a frontrunner for the Conservative Party leadership and the role of Prime Minister, potentially replacing Johnson.
However, Lee Cain, Johnson's former communications chief, criticized his "Eat Out to Help Out" scheme. The scheme, which aimed to encourage diners to visit restaurants during the summer of 2020 following the initial wave of Covid, was deemed nonsensical by Cain. In a previous inquiry, it was disclosed that one of the government's advisors referred to Sunak as "Dr Death" due to his involvement in the scheme.
