COVID inquiry: Bereaved relatives experiencing ‘anxiety’ and ‘unease’ over hiring of PR firms, preliminary hearing is told
Families who lost loved ones to COVID are experiencing “continuing anxiety” and “considerable unease” over two PR firms hired by the official public inquiry, a preliminary hearing has been told.
A report by the Open Democracy website said M&C Saatchi and 23Red had both worked for the government during the pandemic – with the latter said to have worked for the Cabinet Office – but were now working on a “listening project” for the UK COVID-19 Inquiry.
Pete Weatherby KC, representing the COVID-19 Bereaved Families for Justice group, said it had raised fears about conflicts of interest.
Becky Kummer, a spokesperson for the group who lost her father in the pandemic, said the two firms “shouldn’t be anywhere near the COVID inquiry, never mind being responsible for how it reaches those worst affected by the pandemic”.
The COVID memorial wall in London
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A spokeswoman for the inquiry confirmed to Sky News that M&C Saatchi had been awarded the contract and that 23Red had been sub-contracted by the company “to provide the inquiry with expertise on working with external organisations to support public engagement and encourage people to share their experiences”.
But she insisted the contract was awarded “in line with Crown Commercial Service’s robust procurement regulations, ensuring transparency and value for money for the taxpayer”.
She added: “We were satisfied there are no conflicts of interest for the appointed suppliers which would affect the delivery of the listening exercise.”
Sky News understands M&C Saatchi did not work on the government’s public health response to the pandemic, but on other campaigns over that period, including on obesity, smoking and cancer.
However, the Cabinet Office confirmed that 23Red did work with them on marketing projects during COVID.
We also understand all bidders for the contract were required to declare any potential conflicts of interest and required to show they had suitable safeguards to mitigate any risk of conflict of interest.
‘Acute concerns’
Speaking at this morning’s preliminary hearing for the inquiry, Mr Weatherby spoke about the inquiry’s “listening project” to gather the experiences of people impacted by the pandemic in a less formal setting.
He said it would be “be extremely difficult for bereaved families and [so it is] extremely important if it works and what is needed is clarity and certainty”.
But the lawyer said there was “continuing anxiety regarding the companies involved… and it is well known these are matters of acute concerns to the families”.
Mr Weatherby said he was not commenting on whether the reports in Open Democracy were correct or whether there was an actual conflict of interest.
But he said there was “considerable unease about this”, adding: “The consequences of not taking a robust and transparent approach to these issues are really quite simple – less families will be prepared to engage and the whole exercise will have less utility and less credibility.”
Mr Weatherby said he and the families wanted “a clear indication from the inquiry as to it using companies which have undertaken what might reasonably be perceived to be a conflict of interest”, and for contracted firms “to make a public statement concerning any work they have done that could be perceived to be in conflict”.
‘Modest delay’
During this morning’s hearing, the lead KC on the inquiry, Hugo Keith, also asked for a “modest delay” to the start of the public hearings because of the amount of documents that needed to be gone through.
He said “literally thousands of manual redactions” were having to be made to government policy documents and emails relating to the UK’s preparedness for a pandemic as junior officials names need to be taken off – then be checked again by the relevant departments.
He called for a provisional start date of May to early June.
Mr Wetherby, along with other representatives of bereaved families around the UK and the Trades Union Congress, agreed to the new timetable, with the KC saying there was “no alternative” with disclosure “very much in the foothills”.
But he called for the process to be changed so the parties involved could immediate access to the evidence, rather than waiting for the disclosure.
Sir Keir Starmer has joined other European leaders in Kyiv to press Russia to agree an unconditional 30-day ceasefire.
The prime minister is attending the summit alongside French President Emmanuel Macron, recently-elected German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk.
It is the first time the leaders of the four countries have travelled to Ukraine at the same time – arriving in the capital by train – with their meeting hosted by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Sir Keir Starmer, Emmanuel Macron and Friedrich Merz travelling in the saloon car of a special train to Kyiv. Pic: Reuters
Leaders arrive in Kyiv by train. Pic: PA
It comes after Donald Trump called for “ideally” a 30-day ceasefire between Kyiv and Moscow, and warned that if any pause in the fighting is not respected “the US and its partners will impose further sanctions”.
Security and defence analyst Michael Clarke told Sky News presenter Samantha Washington the European leaders are “rowing in behind” the US president, who referred to his “European allies” for the first time in this context in a post on his Truth Social platform.
“So this meeting is all about heaping pressure on the Russians to go along with the American proposal,” he said.
“It’s the closest the Europeans and the US have been for about three months on this issue.”
Sir Keir Starmer, Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Emmanuel Macron among world leaders in Kyiv. Pic: AP
Trump calls for ceasefire. Pic: Truth Social
Ukraine’s foreign minister Andrii Sybiha said Ukraine and its allies are ready for a “full, unconditional ceasefire” for at least 30 days starting on Monday.
Ahead of the meeting on Saturday, Sir Keir, Mr Macron, Mr Tusk and Mr Merz released a joint statement.
European leaders show solidarity – but await Trump’s backing
The hope is Russia’s unilateral ceasefire, such as it’s worth, can be extended for a month to give peace a chance.
But ahead of the meeting, Ukrainian sources told Sky News they are still waiting for President Donald Trump to put his full weight behind the idea.
The US leader has said a 30-day ceasefire would be ideal, but has shown no willingness yet for putting pressure on Russian president Vladimir Putin to agree.
The Russians say a ceasefire can only come after a peace deal can be reached.
European allies are still putting their hopes in a negotiated end to the war despite Moscow’s intransigence and President Trump’s apparent one-sided approach favouring Russia.
Ukrainians would prefer to be given enough economic and military support to secure victory.
But in over three years, despite its massive economic superiority to Russia and its access to more advanced military technology, Europe has not found the political will to give Kyiv the means to win.
Until they do, Vladimir Putin may decide it is still worth pursuing this war despite its massive cost in men and materiel on both sides.
“We reiterate our backing for President Trump’s calls for a peace deal and call on Russia to stop obstructing efforts to secure an enduring peace,” they said.
“Alongside the US, we call on Russia to agree a full and unconditional 30-day ceasefire to create the space for talks on a just and lasting peace.”
Sir Keir and Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a meeting in March. Pic: AP
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The leaders said they were “ready to support peace talks as soon as possible”.
But they warned that they would continue to “ratchet up pressure on Russia’s war machine” until Moscow agrees to a lasting ceasefire.
“We are clear the bloodshed must end, Russia must stop its illegal invasion, and Ukraine must be able to prosper as a safe, secure and sovereign nation within its internationally recognised borders for generations to come,” their statement added.
“We will continue to increase our support for Ukraine.”
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The European leaders are set to visit the Maidan, a central square in Ukraine’s capital where flags represent those who died in the war.
They are also expected to host a virtual meeting for other leaders in the “coalition of the willing” to update them on progress towards a peacekeeping force.
Military officers from around 30 countries have been involved in drawing up plans for a coalition, which would provide a peacekeeping force in the event of a ceasefire being agreed between Russia and Ukraine.
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This force “would help regenerate Ukraine’s armed forces after any peace deal and strengthen confidence in any future peace”, according to Number 10.
A special constable has been jailed after taking pictures on his phone from bodycam footage showing a dying man.
Former police volunteer William Heggs, 23, was sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment at Leicester Crown Court on Friday after showing the photos of victim William Harty, 28, to a female colleague and storing them on his Snapchat account.
Mr Harty was found seriously injured in a residential street in Leicester on 25 October 2021 and Heggs had attended the scene, helping with CPR before paramedics arrived.
Mr Harty died in hospital a day later and the man responsible for his injuries, his brother-in-law Martin Casey, was subsequently convicted of his manslaughter.
Heggs showed the pictures he had taken of bodycam footage of Mr Harty’s body to a Leicestershire Police constable, who reported Heggs and said she did not like seeing blood.
His phone was seized and officers discovered other photographs and video clips of bodyworn footage of incidents Heggs had attended on duty, including of a knife seizure, use of baton and pepper spray, and a man with an injured hand receiving first aid.
He also took pictures of a police computer screen, showing details of crimes and suspects, without consent.
Heggs stored the materials in a Snapchat folder and disclosed graphic details – most of which were not in the public domain – about the injuries to a woman who was killed in a road traffic collision he had attended, to a friend on the social media platform.
Heggs was suspended from the force in November 2021 and resigned in October 2024 before pleading guilty to 11 computer misuse and data protection offences this March.
William Harty’s widow Mandy Casey. Pic: PA
‘He has traumatised me’
Mr Harty’s widow, Mandy Casey, said in a victim impact statement read to the court that Heggs “took (her) husband’s dignity when he was most vulnerable”.
“You don’t take someone’s dignity and pride from them on their deathbed.”
She continued: “When I found out special constable Heggs had done this, I just wanted to ask why. He has traumatised me. I feel I will never know if he showed them to others.”
Ms Casey said she was still scared that photos of her husband’s body might appear on social media.
She added that she had lost trust in the police.
Public trust in police ‘significantly undermined’
Judge Timothy Spencer told Heggs, who has autism and ADHD, that he was “probably too immature to be working as a police officer” as he handed down the sentence.
He said Heggs had received “extensive training”, including on the importance of data protection, and knew he should only share materials for “a genuine policing purpose”.
Heggs’s actions had “significantly undermined” public trust and confidence in police, according to the judge.
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Malcolm McHaffie, from the Crown Prosecution Service, added: “William Heggs abused the public’s trust in the office he held as a special police constable.
“He violated the dignity of the deceased victims for no apparent reason other than what could be considered personal fascination and to gain credibility among his peers.”
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