Skip to main content
See every side of every news story
Published loading...Updated

Ex-UK PM Johnson oversaw 'chaotic' response to COVID which led to more deaths, inquiry finds

  • On Thursday, the UK Covid‑19 Inquiry concluded Boris Johnson, former UK prime minister, presided over a toxic, chaotic culture in Number 10 that hampered timely pandemic leadership.
  • Baroness Heather Hallett's report found a 'lost month' in early UK response, criticised UK testing capacity for poor virus tracking, and said the 'behavioural fatigue' concept lacked scientific basis.
  • Johnson announced a UK‑wide lockdown on March 23, 2020 after weeks of rising cases, and the report noted March 13th, 2020 as a watershed moment; modelling concluded an earlier lockdown could have cut first‑wave deaths in England by about 23,000 or 48%.
  • Baroness Heather Hallett issued 19 key recommendations in a report of more than 800 pages as the UK Covid‑19 Inquiry continues after two years and is expected to run until 2027.
  • The inquiry warned poor relations between Boris Johnson and devolved first ministers, including Nicola Sturgeon, undermined UK-wide coordination and that later lockdowns were avoidable.
Insights by Ground AI

91 Articles

Lean Right

An investigation points to the management of an overly "optimistic" British government and a "toxic and chaotic" culture on Downing Street at the beginning of the pandemic.

·Paris, France
Read Full Article
Center

By PAN PYLAS LONDON (AP) — A public inquiry published Thursday criticized the United Kingdom’s initial response to the coronavirus pandemic as “too little, too late,” stating that the failure to lock down the country earlier “led to an unacceptable loss of life.” The inquiry, chaired by former judge Heather Hallett, found that chaos at the heart of the then-Conservative government and a lack of seriousness toward COVID-19 potentially cost 23,000…

·United States
Read Full Article
Lean Right

By PAN PYLAS LONDON (AP) — A public inquiry published Thursday criticized the United Kingdom’s initial response to the coronavirus pandemic as “too little, too late,” stating that the failure to lock down the country earlier “led to an unacceptable loss of life.” The inquiry, chaired by former judge Heather Hallett, found that chaos at the heart of the then-Conservative government and a lack of seriousness toward COVID-19 potentially cost 23,000…

·Boston, United States
Read Full Article
Think freely.Subscribe and get full access to Ground NewsSubscriptions start at $9.99/yearSubscribe

Bias Distribution

  • 41% of the sources are Center
41% Center

Factuality Info Icon

To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium

Ownership

Info Icon

To view ownership data please Upgrade to Vantage

Nation.Cymru broke the news in Wales, United Kingdom on Wednesday, November 19, 2025.
Too Big Arrow Icon
Sources are mostly out of (0)

Similar News Topics

News
Feed Dots Icon
For You
Search Icon
Search
Blindspot LogoBlindspotLocal