Some more thoughts on the COVID Inquiry and the politics behind it moving forward into 'King's Speech' week
Coverage of the COVID Inquiry dominated politics last week - it was rather nostalgic in the sense that much of what was being said, many of us were [I hope] already aware of.
That’s not to dismiss the evidence that has been given since it began in June, however, or to minimise anything new that has been revealed since.
The COVID Inquiry is of immense importance to the entire country - it continues to engage and pique the interest of anybody with the remotest interest in being able to fathom and process the grief we have all collectively experienced in some direct and indirect way.
Indeed, in context of ‘the current politics’ of the situation that I discussed towards the end of my previous piece, the ramifications are as enormous in 2023 as they were in that period between February 2020 and towards mid-2021.
Many of us are still waiting for a formal conclusion.
A more simple truth is that none of them should have ever been even remotely close to power
This page has been keeping an eye on the COVID Inquiry for some time now. It began earlier this year [in June], and has been taking statements from individuals close to the government’s decision-making, as well as providing context for how it made those decisions.
Firstly - despite concerns from the government's enablers that much of what has been said up to now merely examines what happened in hindsight, current context can be peppered by the fact that the Chancellor at the time, Rishi Sunak - who made some of the ‘big calls’ which we were repeatedly assured the government ‘got right’ by its enablers and supporters throughout the pandemic - is now our Prime Minister making all of the big calls.
And as our Prime Minister, he is not doing very well.
To put it mildly.
Secondly - the overarching culture of sleaze, lawlessness, entitlement and general bastardry presided over by the government during the pandemic remains virtually intact, even if some of the major players no longer make ‘the big calls’.
Although, to be clear, some still do - hence why the general thought process behind how the government works [or doesn’t work, evidently] remains virtually the same.